Coil (koil), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coiled (koild); p. pr. & vb. n. Coiling.] [OF. coillir, F. cueillir, to collect, gather together, L. coligere; col- + legere to gather. See Legend, and cf. Cull, v. t., Collect.] 1. To wind cylindrically or spirally; as, to coil a rope when not in use; the snake coiled itself before springing.
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2. To encircle and hold with, or as with, coils. [Obs. or R.] T. Edwards.
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Coil, n. 1. A ring, series of rings, or spiral, into which a rope, or other like thing, is wound.
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The wild grapevines that twisted their coils from trec to tree. W. Irving.
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2. Fig.: Entanglement; toil; mesh; perplexity.
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3. A series of connected pipes in rows or layers, as in a steam heating apparatus.
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Induction coil. (Elec.) See under Induction. -- Ruhmkorff's coil (Elec.), an induction coil, sometimes so called from Ruhmkorff (&unr_;), a prominent manufacturer of the apparatus.
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