4. A wire stretching across over a race track at the judges' stand, to mark the line at which the races end. [Racing Cant]
Wire, v. t. (Croquet) To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.
Wire gun. = Wire-wound gun.
Wire"less, a. Having no wire; specif. (Elec.), designating, or pertaining to, a method of telegraphy, telephony, etc., in which the messages, etc., are transmitted through space by electric waves; as, a wireless message. -- Wireless telegraphy or telegraph (Elec.), any system of telegraphy employing no connecting wire or wires between the transmitting and receiving stations. Although more or less successful researchers were made on the subject by Joseph Henry, Hertz, Oliver Lodge, and others, the first commercially successful system was that of Guglielmo Marconi, patented in March, 1897. Marconi employed electric waves of high frequency set up by an induction coil in an oscillator, these waves being launched into space through a lofty antenna. The receiving apparatus consisted of another antenna in circuit with a coherer and small battery for operating through a relay the ordinary telegraphic receiver. This apparatus contains the essential features of all the systems now in use. -- Wireless telephone, an apparatus or contrivance for wireless telephony. -- Wireless telephony, telephony without wires, usually employing electric waves of high frequency emitted from an oscillator or generator, as in wireless telegraphy. A telephone transmitter causes fluctuations in these waves, it being the fluctuations only which affect the receiver.
Wire"less, n. Short for Wireless telegraphy, Wireless telephony, etc.; as, to send a message by wireless.
Wire tapper. One that taps, or cuts in on, telegraph wires and intercepts messages; hence (Slang), a swindler who pretends to tap wires or otherwise intercept advance telegraphic news for betting. -- Wire tapping.
Wire"-wound` gun. (Ordnance) A gun in the construction of which an inner tube (either entire or in segments) is wound with wire under tension to insure greater soundness and uniformity of resistance. In modern construction hoops and jackets are shrunk on over the wire.
Wir"ing (?), n. 1. The act of one that wires anything.