Coil — Defs

01 v. t. To wind cylindrically or spirally; as, to coil a rope when not in use; the snake coiled itself before springing.

imp. & p. p. Coiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Coiling

1.
To wind cylindrically or spirally; as, to coil a rope when not in use; the snake coiled itself before springing.
2.
To encircle and hold with, or as with, coils.[Obs. or R.]

02 v. i. To wind itself cylindrically or spirally; to form a coil; to wind; -- often with about or around.

1.
To wind itself cylindrically or spirally; to form a coil; to wind; -- often with about or around.
“You can see his flery serpents . . . Coiting, playing in the water.” — Longfellow.

03 n. A ring, series of rings, or spiral, into which a rope, or other like thing, is wound.

1.
A ring, series of rings, or spiral, into which a rope, or other like thing, is wound.
“The wild grapevines that twisted their coils from trec to tree.” — W. Irving.
2.
Fig.: Entanglement; toil; mesh; perplexity.
3.
A series of connected pipes in rows or layers, as in a steam heating apparatus.

Phrases & compounds

Induction coil — See under Induction.

Ruhmkorff's coil — an induction coil, sometimes so called from Ruhmkorff (�), a prominent manufacturer of the apparatus.

04 n. A noise, tumult, bustle, or confusion.