coil 1 /kɔɪl/ BrE AmE ( also coil up ) verb [intransitive and transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: coillir , %cuillir% 'to gather' ]
to wind or twist into a series of rings, or to make something do this:
The snake coiled around the branches of the tree.
Her long hair was coiled up in a plait at the top of her head.
He coiled the rope.
—coiled adjective [only before noun]