cable

noun

• 1a thick rope of wire or hemp used for construction, mooring ships, and towing vehicles: steel cables held the convoy together
• the chain of a ship’s anchor.
• Nautical a length of 200 yards (182.9 m) or (in the US) 240 yards (219.4 m): he caught a glimpse of the mast, a cable or two downwind
• short for cable stitch.
• (also cable moulding) Architecture a moulding resembling twisted rope.

• 2an insulated wire or wires having a protective casing and used for transmitting electricity or telecommunication signals:an underground cable [mass noun]:transatlantic phone calls went by cable
• a cablegram: this was an occasion for using the telephone, not cables, teletexes, or letters
• short for cable television.I watch polo on cable

verb

• 1send a message to (someone) by cablegram:he cabled her to cancel all arrangements
• transmit (a message) by cablegram: the secretariat cabled a reply
• [no object] send a cablegram: have you got the drugs I cabled for?

• 2provide (an area) with power lines or with the equipment necessary for cable television: nearly all urban areas are cabled, so viewers can choose from up to 20 channels

• 3 Architecture decorate (a structure) with rope-shaped mouldings.