— cablelike , adj.
/kay"beuhl/ , n. , v. , cabled, cabling .
n.
1. a heavy, strong rope.
2. a very strong rope made of strands of metal wire, as used to support cable cars or suspension bridges.
3. a cord of metal wire used to operate or pull a mechanism.
4. Naut.
a. a thick hawser made of rope, strands of metal wire, or chain.
b. See cable's length .
5. Elect. an insulated electrical conductor, often in strands, or a combination of electrical conductors insulated from one another.
6. cablegram.
7. See cable television .
8. cable-stitch.
9. Archit. one of a number of reedings set into the flutes of a column or pilaster.
v.t.
10. to send (a message) by cable.
11. to send a cablegram to.
12. to fasten with a cable.
13. to furnish with a cable.
14. to join (cities, parts of a country, etc.) by means of a cable television network: The state will be completely cabled in a few years.
v.i.
15. to send a message by cable.
16. to cable-stitch.
[ 1175-1225; ME, prob. cable capulum lasso; cf. L capulare to rope, halter (cattle), akin to capere to take ]