wiring
n. · v.-
1 electrical system (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe system of wires that carries electricity around a building, car, or piece of equipment.
the network of electrical conductors and associated fittings within a structure, vehicle, or electronic device.
ExampleThe old house needs new wiring because the current system is dangerous.
ExampleThe fire investigator determined that faulty electrical wiring behind the kitchen wall was the primary cause of the blaze.
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when referring to the system as a whole.
- cabling
- circuits
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2 brain/personality (n.) C1 Advanced Informalthe way someone's brain or personality is naturally organized.
the metaphorical internal 'circuitry' of a person's mind or temperament, often implying an innate or biological basis.
ExampleI am a morning person; it is just how my wiring works.
ExampleRecent neurological studies suggest that the wiring of the adolescent brain makes teenagers more prone to risk-taking behaviour than adults.
UsageUsually used with a possessive like 'my' or 'her'.
Teacher's tipThis is a common metaphorical use in modern psychology and self-help contexts; it suggests that certain traits are hard-wired and difficult to change.
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3 installing wires (v.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe act of putting electric wires into a place or connecting them.
the present participle of 'wire', referring to the process of installing electrical cables or connecting a circuit.
ExampleHe spent the whole afternoon wiring the new speakers to the stereo.
ExampleWiring the entire office complex for high-speed internet took the technical team nearly three weeks of intensive labour.
UsageFunctions as the gerund or present continuous form of the verb 'wire'.
- connecting
- cabling
From wire + -ing.