A large, strong rope or chain, of considerable length, used to retain a vessel at anchor, and for other purposes. It is made of hemp, of steel wire, or of iron links. [1913 Webster]
A rope of steel wire, or copper wire, usually covered with some protecting or insulating substance; as, the cable of a suspension bridge; a telegraphic cable. [1913 Webster]
A molding, shaft of a column, or any other member of convex, rounded section, made to resemble the spiral twist of a rope; -- called also cable molding. [1913 Webster]

Bower cable, the cable belonging to the bower anchor. -- Cable road, a railway on which the cars are moved by a continuously running endless rope operated by a stationary motor. -- Cable's length, the length of a ship's cable. Cables in the merchant service vary in length from 100 to 140 fathoms or more; but as a maritime measure, a cable's length is either 120 fathoms (720 feet), or about 100 fathoms (600 feet, an approximation to one tenth of a nautical mile). -- Cable tier. (a) That part of a vessel where the cables are stowed. (b) A coil of a cable. -- Sheet cable, the cable belonging to the sheet anchor. -- Stream cable, a hawser or rope, smaller than the bower cables, to moor a ship in a place sheltered from wind and heavy seas. -- Submarine cable. See Telegraph. -- To pay out the cable, To veer out the cable, to slacken it, that it may run out of the ship; to let more cable run out of the hawse hole. -- To serve the cable, to bind it round with ropes, canvas, etc., to prevent its being, worn or galled in the hawse, et. -- To slip the cable, to let go the end on board and let it all run out and go overboard, as when there is not time to weigh anchor. Hence, in sailor's use, to die.

Cable, v. t.

To fasten with a cable. [1913 Webster]
To ornament with cabling. See Cabling. [1913 Webster]

Cable, v. t. & i.

To telegraph by a submarine cable [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

Cable, n. & v.
--n.
1 a thick rope of wire or hemp.
2 an encased group of insulated wires for transmitting electricity or electrical signals.
3 a cablegram.
4 a Naut. the chain of an anchor. b a measure of 200 yards.
5 (in full cable stitch) a knitted stitch resembling twisted rope.
6 Archit. a rope-shaped ornament.
--v.
1 a tr. transmit (a message) by cablegram. b tr. inform (a person) by cablegram. c intr. send a cablegram.
2 tr. furnish or fasten with a cable or cables.
3 Archit. tr. furnish with cables.

Idiom

cable-car
1 a small cabin (often one of a series) suspended on an endless cable and drawn up and down a mountainside etc. by an engine at one end.
2 a carriage drawn along a cable railway. cable-laid (of rope) having three triple strands. cable railway a railway along which carriages are drawn by an endless cable. cable television a broadcasting system with signals transmitted by cable to subscribers' sets.

Etymology

ME f. OF chable, ult. f. LL capulum halter f. Arab. habl

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THESAURUS

Cable

BX cable, Teletype, WATS, WATS line, armored cable, battery cable, bell wire, braid, brail, cablegram, chain, co-ax, coaxial cable, concentric cable, cord, day letter, electric cable, electric cord, fast telegram, flash, guy, hawser, highline, hookup wire, lead, ligament, ligation, ligature, line, mooring, night letter, party line, power line, private line, radio, radiogram, rope, send a wire, sign off, sign on, spun yarn, strand, string, telegram, telegraph, telegraph cable, telegraph line, telephone line, telex, tendon, thong, three-wire cable, transmission line, triaxial cable, trunk, trunk line, twine, twist, underground cable, wire, wire line, yarn

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ROGET THESAURUS

Cable

Connection

N connection, vinculum, link, connective, connection, junction, bond of union, copula, hyphen, intermedium, bracket, bridge, stepping-stone, isthmus, bond, tendon, tendril, fiber, cord, cordage, riband, ribbon, rope, guy, cable, line, halser, hawser, painter, moorings, wire, chain, string, fastener, fastening, tie, ligament, ligature, strap, tackle, rigging, standing rigging, running rigging, traces, harness, yoke, band ribband, bandage, brace, roller, fillet, inkle, with, withe, withy, thong, braid, girder, tiebeam, girth, girdle, cestus, garter, halter, noose, lasso, surcingle, knot, running knot, cabestro, cinch, lariat, legadero, oxreim, suspenders, pin, corking pin, nail, brad, tack, skewer, staple, corrugated fastener, clamp, U-clamp, C-clamp, cramp, cramp iron, ratchet, detent, larigo, pawl, terret, treenail, screw, button, buckle, clasp, hasp, hinge, hank, catch, latch, bolt, latchet, tag, tooth, hook, hook and eye, lock, holdfast, padlock, rivet, anchor, grappling iron, trennel, stake, post, cement, glue, gum, paste, size, wafer, solder, lute, putty, birdlime, mortar, stucco, plaster, grout, viscum, shackle, rein, prop.

News

N news, information, piece of news, budget of news, budget of information, intelligence, tidings, word, advice, aviso, message, dispatch, despatch, telegram, cable, marconigram, wire, communication, errand, embassy, report, rumor, hearsay, on dit, flying rumor, news stirring, cry, buzz, bruit, fame, talk, oui dire, scandal, eavesdropping, town tattle, table talk, tittle tattle, canard, topic of the day, idea afloat, bulletin, fresh news, stirring news, glad tidings, flash, news just in, on-the-spot coverage, live coverage, old story, old news, stale news, stale story, chestnut, narrator, newsmonger, scandalmonger, talebearer, telltale, gossip, tattler, journalism, media, news media, the press, the information industry, newspaper, magazine, tract, journal, gazette, publication, radio, television, ticker (electronic information transmission), United Press International, UPI, Associated Press, AP, The Dow Jones News Service, DJ, The New York Times News Service, NYT, Reuters, TASS, The Nikkei, newscaster, newsman, newswoman, reporter, journalist, correspondent, foreign correspondent, special correspondent, war correspondent, news team, news department, anchorman, anchorwoman, sportscaster, weatherman, press secretary, public relations department, public relations man, many-tongued, rumored, publicly rumored, currently rumored, currently reported, rife, current, floating, afloat, going about, in circulation, in every one's mouth, all over the town, in progress, live, on the spot, in person, as the story goes, as the story runs, as they say, it is said, by telegraph, by wireless, airy tongues that syllable men's names, what's up?, what's the latest?, what's new?, what's the latest poop?.

Messenger

N messenger, envoy, emissary, legate, nuncio, internuncio, ambassador, marshal, flag bearer, herald, crier, trumpeter, bellman, pursuivant, parlementaire, apparitor, courier, runner, dak, estafette, Mercury, Iris, Ariel, commissionaire, errand boy, chore boy, newsboy, mail, overnight mail, express mail, next-day delivery, post, post office, letter bag, delivery service, United Parcel Service, UPS, Federal Express, Fedex, telegraph, telephone, cable, wire (electronic information transmission), carrier pigeon, (news) 532 reporter, gentleman of the press, representative of the press, penny-a-liner, special correspondent, own correspondent, spy, scout, informer.

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