Wire vs. Ribbon: What's the Difference?
Wire and Ribbon Definitions
Wire
Metal that has been drawn out into a strand or rod, used chiefly for structural support, as in concrete, and for conducting electricity, when it is usually insulated with a rubber or plastic cladding
Bought some wire at the hardware store.
Ribbon
A narrow strip or band of fabric, especially a fine fabric such as satin or velvet, finished at the edges and used for trimming, tying, or finishing.
Wire
A strand or rod of such material, or a cable made of such strands twisted together.
Ribbon
Something, such as a tape measure, that resembles a ribbon.
Wire
Fencing made of wire, especially barbed wire.
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Ribbon
A long thin strip
A ribbon of sand along the shore.
Wire
Wires The system of strings employed in manipulating puppets in a show.
Ribbon
Ribbons Tattered or ragged strips
A dress torn to ribbons.
Wire
(Slang) A hidden microphone, as on a person's body or in a building.
Ribbon
An inked strip of cloth used for making an impression, as in a typewriter.
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Wire
A telephone or telegraph connection
Who is on the wire?.
Ribbon
A band of colored cloth signifying membership in an order or the award of a prize.
Wire
A telegraph service
Sent the message by wire.
Ribbon
A strip of colored cloth worn on the left breast of a uniform to indicate the award of a medal or decoration.
Wire
A telegram or cablegram
"Mac got a wire from Milly that Uncle Tim was dead" (John Dos Passos).
Ribbon
Ribbons(Informal) Reins for driving horses.
Wire
A wire service
The news came over the wire.
Ribbon
See ledger board.
Wire
A pin in the print head of a computer printer.
Ribbon
To decorate or tie with ribbons.
Wire
The screen on which sheets of paper are formed in a papermaking machine.
Ribbon
To tear into ribbons or shreds.
Wire
(Sports) The finish line of a racetrack.
Ribbon
A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
Wire
(Slang) A pickpocket.
Ribbon
An awareness ribbon.
Wire
To equip with a system of electrical wires
Wire a house.
Ribbon
An inked strip of material against which type is pressed to print letters in a typewriter or printer.
Wire
To attach or connect with electrical wire or cable
Is the printer wired to the computer?.
Ribbon
A narrow strip or shred.
A steel or magnesium ribbon
Sails torn to ribbons
Wire
To attach or fasten with wire
Surgeons wired his shoulder together.
Ribbon
(cooking) In ice cream and similar confections, an ingredient (often chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, or fudge) added in a long narrow strip.
Wire
(Slang) To install electronic eavesdropping equipment in (a room, for example).
Ribbon
(shipbuilding) ribband
Wire
To send by telegraph
Wired her congratulations.
Ribbon
(nautical) A painted moulding on the side of a ship.
Wire
To send a telegram to (someone).
Ribbon
A watchspring.
Wire
(Computers) To implement (a capability) through logic circuitry that is permanently connected within a computer or calculator and therefore not subject to change by programming.
Ribbon
A bandsaw.
Wire
To determine genetically; hardwire
"It is plausible that the basic organization of grammar is wired into the child's brain" (Steven Pinker).
Ribbon
Reins for a horse.
Wire
To send a telegram.
Ribbon
(heraldry) A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide.
Wire
(uncountable) Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die.
Ribbon
(spinning) A sliver.
Wire
A piece of such material; a thread or slender rod of metal, a cable.
Ribbon
(journalism) A subheadline presented above its parent headline.
Wire
A metal conductor that carries electricity.
Ribbon
A toolbar that incorporates tabs and menus.
Wire
A fence made of usually barbed wire.
Ribbon
(transitive) To decorate with ribbon.
Wire
(sports) A finish line of a racetrack.
Ribbon
(transitive) To stripe or streak.
Wire
(informal) A telecommunication wire or cable.
Ribbon
A fillet or narrow woven fabric, commonly of silk, used for trimming some part of a woman's attire, for badges, and other decorative purposes.
Wire
(by extension) An electric telegraph; a telegram.
Ribbon
A narrow strip or shred; as, a steel or magnesium ribbon; sails torn to ribbons.
Wire
(slang) A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence.
Ribbon
Same as Rib-band.
Wire
(informal) A deadline or critical endpoint.
This election is going to go right to the wire
Ribbon
Driving reins.
Wire
(billiards) A wire strung with beads and hung horizontally above or near the table which is used to keep score.
Ribbon
A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide.
Wire
Any of the system of wires used to operate the puppets in a puppet show; hence, the network of hidden influences controlling the action of a person or organization; strings.
To pull the wires for office
Ribbon
A silver.
Wire
A pickpocket, especially one who targets women.
Ribbon
To adorn with, or as with, ribbons; to mark with stripes resembling ribbons.
Wire
(slang) A covert signal sent between people cheating in a card game.
Ribbon
Any long object resembling a thin line;
A mere ribbon of land
The lighted ribbon of traffic
From the air the road was a gray thread
A thread of smoke climbed upward
Wire
(Scotland) A knitting needle.
Ribbon
An award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event
Wire
The slender shaft of the plumage of certain birds.
Ribbon
A long strip of inked material for making characters on paper with a typewriter
Wire
To fasten with wire, especially with reference to wine bottles, corks, or fencing.
We need to wire that hole in the fence.
Ribbon
Notion consisting of a narrow strip of fine material used for trimming
Wire
To string on a wire.
Wire beads
Wire
To equip with wires for use with electricity.
Do you know how to wire a plug?
Wire
To connect, embed, incorporate, or include (something) into (something else) by or as if by wires:
Wire
To add (something) into a system (especially an electrical system) by means of wiring.
I'll just wire your camera to the computer screen.
Wire
To add or connect (something) into a system as if with wires (for example, with nerves).
Wire
To connect, involve or embed (something) deeply or intimately into (something else, such as an organization or political scene), so that it is keeping up with current information about (the thing) or has insinuated itself into (the thing).
Wire
To set or predetermine (someone's personality or behaviour, or an organization's culture) in a particular way.
There's no use trying to get Sarah to be less excitable. That's just the way she's wired.
Wire
To send a message or monetary funds to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominantly by telegraph.
Urgent: please wire me another 100 pounds sterling.
The detective wired ahead, hoping that the fugitive would be caught at the railway station.
Wire
(slang) To make someone tense or psyched up. See also adjective wired.
Coffee late at night wires me good and proper.
Wire
(slang) To install eavesdropping equipment.
We wired the suspect's house.
Wire
To snare by means of a wire or wires.
Wire
To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.
Wire
A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved rollers, or drawn through holes in a plate of steel.
Wire
A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph; as, to send a message by wire.
Wire
The system of wires used to operate the puppets in a puppet show;
Wire
One who picks women's pockets.
Wire
A knitting needle.
Wire
A wire stretching across over a race track at the judges' stand, to mark the line at which the races end.
Wire
To bind with wire; to attach with wires; to apply wire to; as, to wire corks in bottling liquors.
Wire
To put upon a wire; as, to wire beads.
Wire
To snare by means of a wire or wires.
Wire
To send (a message) by telegraph.
Wire
To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.
Wire
To equip with a system of wiring, especially for supply of electrical power or communication; as, to wire an office for networking the computers; to wire a building with 220-Volt current.
Wire
To equip with an electronic system for eavesdropping; to bug; as, to wire the office of a mob boss; to wire an informant so as to record his conversations.
Wire
To pass like a wire; to flow in a wirelike form, or in a tenuous stream.
Wire
To send a telegraphic message.
Wire
Ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
Wire
A metal conductor that carries electricity over a distance
Wire
The finishing line on a racetrack
Wire
A message transmitted by telegraph
Wire
Provide with electrical circuits;
Wire the addition to the house
Wire
Send cables, wires, or telegrams
Wire
Fasten with wire;
The columns were wired to the beams for support
Wire
String on a wire;
Wire beads
Wire
Equip for use with electricity;
Electrify an appliance
