Etymology From Middle English coilen, from Old French coillir, cuillir (“to gather, pluck, pick, cull”) (modern French cueillir), from Latin colligō (“to gather together”), past participle collectus, from com- (“together”) + legō (“to gather”); compare legend. Doublet of cull.
1
Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
the sinuous coils of a snake
The wild grapevines that twisted their coils or tendrils from tree to tree.1819 June 23 – 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “(please specify the title)”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC:
2
Gynaecology, Medicine, SciencesColloquial Any intrauterine device for contraception (originally coil-shaped).
‘I’m gonna go on the pill and get fitted for a coil. I don’t wanna be pregnant. Ever. Again!’2020, Paul Mendez, Rainbow Milk, Dialogue Books (2021), page 293:
And now, finally, the contraceptive burden would fall on me. After Hayley’s years of toil with a coil, and the pain of childbirth, I was due a little discomfort.2026 May 11, Tim Burrows, “My first thought after having a vasectomy: why aren’t more British men having them?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
What trifling coil do we mortals keep; Wake, eat, and drink, evacuate, and sleep.a. 1722, Matthew Prior, “Human Life”, in H. Bunker Wright, Monroe K. Spears, editors, The Literary Works of Matthew Prior, Second edition, volume I, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1971, page 687:
Etymology From Middle English coilen, from Old French coillir, cuillir (“to gather, pluck, pick, cull”) (modern French cueillir), from Latin colligō (“to gather together”), past participle collectus, from com- (“together”) + legō (“to gather”); compare legend. Doublet of cull.
1
To wind or reel e.g. a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece.
A simple transformer can be made by coiling two pieces of insulated copper wire around an iron heart.
2
To wind into loops (roughly) around a common center.
The sailor coiled the free end of the hawser on the pier.
3
To wind cylindrically or spirally.
to coil a rope when not in use
The snake coiled itself before springing.
4
To build a pot (etc) with clay coils.
5
Obsolete, Rare To encircle and hold with, or as if with, coils.
a. 1757, Thomas Edwards, sonnet to Mr. Nathanael Mason Pleasure coil thee in her dangerous snare
a. 1738, Thomas Urquhart, Peter Anthony Motteux, and John Ozell (translators), François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel And when he saw that all the dogs were flocking about her, yarring at the retardment of their access to her, and every way keeping such a coil with her as they are wont to do about a proud or salt bitch, he forthwith departed […]
If the windes rage, doth not the Sea wax mad, / Threatning the welkin with his big-swolne face? / And wilt thou haue a reason for this coile?c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
3 more examples
this great Savage desired also to see him. A great coyle there was to set him forward.1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 162:
[T]hey continued ſo extremely fond of Gold, that if Peter ſent them abroad, though it were only upon a Complement; they would Roar, and Spit, and Belch, and Piſs, and Fart, and Snivle out Fire, and keep a perpetual Coyl, till you flung them a Bit of Gold; [...]1704, [Jonathan Swift], “Section IV”, in A Tale of a Tub. […], London: […] John Nutt, […], →OCLC, pages 99–100:
His liver demanded activity, namely, a quarrel, and what a coil this was!1897, Stanley John Weyman, “King Pepin and Sweet Clive”, in For the Cause: