cord
/kɔːd/ (bre, ipa) · /kɔːrd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkȯrd/ (ame, mw)
cord — noun
- cordsingular
- cordsplural
1. thin rope or thick string made by twisting several strands of fibre together, us
thin rope or thick string made by twisting several strands of fibre together, used for tying or fastening things.
Tamar tied the package shut with a strong cord before posting it.
collocation: strong cord / thick cord
The curtain cord snapped when Élise pulled it too hard one morning.
Nila replaced the broken drawstring with a nylon cord from the shop.
Caio wrapped the cord around the rolled-up poster to keep it closed.
The heavy parcel was secured with several layers of thick cord.
文法句型
a cord of + material
piece of cord
2. a plastic-insulated wire that carries electricity from a wall socket to a device
a plastic-insulated wire that carries electricity from a wall socket to a device such as a lamp, computer, or phone charger.
Eric plugged the charging cord into his laptop and the wall socket.
collocation: charging cord / power cord
Lisa's phone cord got tangled around the leg of her desk.
The iron's cord had frayed, so Dewi ordered a replacement part.
Noor's headphones stopped working when the cord was pulled too hard.
An extension cord ran across the hallway to power the vacuum cleaner.
文法句型
power cord
extension cord
charging cord
用法筆記
In British English, 'lead' is more common than 'cord' for this sense. 'Cord' is the usual term in American English.
3. a strong cotton fabric with raised parallel lines on its surface, used mainly fo
a strong cotton fabric with raised parallel lines on its surface, used mainly for making warm clothes such as trousers, jackets, and skirts.
Antonia bought two metres of brown cord to make a skirt.
uncountable: two metres of cord
Nellie prefers cord jackets because the material feels warm and soft.
attributive noun: cord jackets
Cord trousers are popular in autumn for their comfort and thickness.
The tailor recommended cord fabric for the children's winter coats.
- corduroy
the full name of the same fabric; 'cord' is a shortened form
文法句型
made of cord
cord + noun (fabric/trousers/jacket)
用法筆記
Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the material itself. When used attributively before another noun (cord jacket, cord trousers), it describes clothing made of this fabric.
4. a pair of pants sewn from corduroy fabric, typically referred to in plural form.
a pair of pants sewn from corduroy fabric, typically referred to in plural form.
Tendai wore his favourite green cords to the family dinner party.
always plural: cords
The boy's cords were muddy after he played in the park all afternoon.
Eri found a pair of blue cords at the second-hand clothing shop.
Cords are comfortable but need careful washing to keep their texture.
- corduroys
the full form of the same word; 'cords' is the shortened, more casual version
文法句型
a pair of cords
wears cords
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'cords'. A single pair is 'cords' or 'a pair of cords'. Unlike the uncountable fabric sense, 'cords' always refers to a garment.
5. a rope-like anatomical structure within a living body, such as the nerve bundle
a rope-like anatomical structure within a living body, such as the nerve bundle running down the spine (the spinal cord), the tube linking a foetus to its mother before birth (the umbilical cord), or the throat folds that produce sound (the vocal cords).
The baby's umbilical cord was cut shortly after she was born.
compound: umbilical cord
A spinal cord injury can affect a person's ability to move their legs.
compound: spinal cord
The singer visited a doctor when her vocal cords became sore and swollen.
The surgeon carefully examined the nerve cord during the operation.
文法句型
spinal cord
umbilical cord
vocal cords
用法筆記
This sense mainly appears in fixed compound nouns: spinal cord, umbilical cord, vocal cords. The word 'cord' rarely appears alone in this meaning; the compound specifies which body part is being referred to.
常見錯誤
6. a unit for measuring cut firewood, with a volume of 128 cubic feet — typically a
a unit for measuring cut firewood, with a volume of 128 cubic feet — typically a pile four feet tall, four feet wide, and eight feet long.
The farmer stacked a cord of oak logs behind the barn in autumn.
quantifier: a cord of oak logs
Each cord of firewood should last the family about two months.
collocation: a cord of firewood
The logger measured the wood pile to confirm it was a full cord.
A single cord of pine burns faster than the same amount of hardwood.
文法句型
a cord of wood
a cord of firewood
用法筆記
A highly specialized measurement used mainly in North America by loggers, firewood suppliers, and rural homeowners. One cord is 128 cubic feet (about 3.6 cubic metres).
cord — verb
- cordpresent simple I / you / we / they
- cords3rd person singular
- cording-ing form
- cordedpast simple
1. to fasten or tie something securely using a cord or rope, especially for transpo
to fasten or tie something securely using a cord or rope, especially for transport or storage.
The movers corded the furniture to the roof of the moving truck.
passive-like: corded [object] to [surface]
Before the trip, the campers corded their supplies tightly to their backpacks.
The old fisherman corded the broken net together while sitting on the dock.
The gardener corded the bamboo canes to the fence to build a support frame.
文法句型
cord + object + to + surface
be corded to
用法筆記
A somewhat rare usage in everyday English; most speakers would use 'tie with a cord' or 'strap' instead of the verb 'to cord'. The verb is more common in written instructions or descriptions of packing.
2. to stack cut wood into a pile that measures one cord (128 cubic feet), or more g
to stack cut wood into a pile that measures one cord (128 cubic feet), or more generally to stack firewood in an orderly pile.
The logger corded the split logs behind the shed for the winter.
object: split logs
The farmer's sons corded the firewood near the cabin before the first snow.
Every autumn the family cords the season's timber by the back wall of the house.
The ranch hand corded the freshly chopped pine into a neat stack by the shed.
- stack
general term; does not imply a specific measurement
文法句型
cord + wood/logs
用法筆記
A highly specialized term used mainly in North American forestry and by people who heat their homes with wood. Most native speakers have never used this verb.