a thick rope of wire or hemp, typically used for construction, mooring ships, and towing vehicles (尤指用于建筑、系船或拖曳车辆的)钢索,缆绳 ■the chain of a ship's anchor 锚链 ■(Nautical)a length of 200 yards (182.9 m) or (in the US) 240 yards (219.4 m) (航海)链长(200码,即182.9米;美国为240码,即219.4米) ■short for cable stitch cable stitch 的简称 ■(亦作 cable moulding)(Architecture)a moulding resembling twisted rope (建筑)缆绳状装饰线脚
an insulated wire or wires having a protective casing and used for transmitting electricity or telecommunication signals 电缆 an underground cable. 一条地下电缆。 [mass noun]transatlantic phone calls went by cable. 跨大西洋电话通过电缆传输。 ■a cablegram 海底电报,电报 ■short for cable television cable television 的简称
verb [with obj.]
contact or send a message to (someone) by cablegram 给…发海底电报 ■transmit (a message) by cablegram 用海底电报拍发(消息) ■[no obj.]send a cablegram 发海底电报 have you got drugs I cabled for?. 你有我发电报索要的那些药吗?。
(常作 be cabled)provide (an area or community) with power lines or with the equipment necessary for cable television 为(某地区或社区)铺设电缆线,提供有线电视所需设备
(Architecture)decorate (a structure) with rope-shaped mouldings (建筑)用缆绳状装饰线脚装饰(建筑物)
语源
Middle English: from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French chable, from late Latin capulum 'halter'