n. & v.
n. 1 a thick rope of wire or hemp. 2 an encased group of insulated wires for transmitting electricity or electrical signals. 3 a cablegram. 4 a Naut. the chain of an anchor. b a measure of 200 yards. 5 (in full cable stitch) a knitted stitch resembling twisted rope. 6 Archit. a rope-shaped ornament.
v. 1 a tr. transmit (a message) by cablegram. b tr. inform (a person) by cablegram. c intr. send a cablegram. 2 tr. furnish or fasten with a cable or cables. 3 Archit. tr. furnish with cables. cable-car 1 a small cabin (often one of a series) suspended on an endless cable and drawn up and down a mountainside etc. by an engine at one end. 2 a carriage drawn along a cable railway. cable-laid (of rope) having three triple strands. cable railway a railway along which carriages are drawn by an endless cable. cable television a broadcasting system with signals transmitted by cable to subscribers' sets.
[ ME f. OF chable, ult. f. LL capulum halter f. Arab. habl ]