coil

noun

1. Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.

   “the sinuous coils of a snake”

   “The wild grapevines that twisted their coils or tendrils from tree to tree.”

2. Any intrauterine device (abbreviation: IUD)—the first IUDs were coil-shaped.

   “‘I’m gonna go on the pill and get fitted for a coil. I don’t wanna be pregnant. Ever. Again!’”

3. A coil of electrically conductive wire through which electricity can flow.
4. A cylinder of clay.
5. (figuratively)Entanglement; perplexity.

   “What trifling coil do we mortals keep; Wake, eat, and drink, evacuate, and sleep.”

6. A noise, tumult, bustle, or turmoil.

   “a. 1738, Thomas Urquhart, Peter Anthony Motteux, and John Ozell (translators), François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel And when he saw that all the dogs were flocking about her, yarring at the retardment of their access to her, and every way keeping such a coil with her as they are wont to do about a proud or salt bitch, he forthwith departed […]”

   “If the windes rage, doth not the Sea wax mad, / Threatning the welkin with his big-swolne face? / And wilt thou haue a reason for this coile?”

   “this great Savage desired also to see him. A great coyle there was to set him forward.”

   “[T]hey continued ſo extremely fond of Gold, that if Peter ſent them abroad, though it were only upon a Complement; they would Roar, and Spit, and Belch, and Piſs, and Fart, and Snivle out Fire, and keep a perpetual Coyl, till you flung them a Bit of Gold; [...]”

   “His liver demanded activity, namely, a quarrel, and what a coil this was!”

7. (informal, slang)A wad of cash.
8. (abbreviation, alt-of)Abbreviation of chemical oxygen-iodine laser.

verb

1. To wind or reel e.g. a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece.

   “A simple transformer can be made by coiling two pieces of insulated copper wire around an iron heart.”

2. To wind into loops (roughly) around a common center.

   “The sailor coiled the free end of the hawser on the pier.”

3. To wind cylindrically or spirally.

   “to coil a rope when not in use”

   “The snake coiled itself before springing.”

4. To build a pot (etc) with clay coils.
5. (obsolete, rare)To encircle and hold with, or as if with, coils.

   “a. 1757, Thomas Edwards, sonnet to Mr. Nathanael Mason Pleasure coil thee in her dangerous snare”

name

1. A surname.