under the wire

Wire \Wire\ (w[imac]r), n. [OE. wir, AS. wir; akin to Icel.
   v[imac]rr, Dan. vire, LG. wir, wire; cf. OHG. wiara fine
   gold; perhaps akin to E. withy. [root]141.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance
      formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved
      rollers, or drawn through holes in a plate of steel.
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   Note: Wire is made of any desired form, as round, square,
         triangular, etc., by giving this shape to the hole in
         the drawplate, or between the rollers.
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   2. A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph;
      as, to send a message by wire. [Colloq.]
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   3. Chiefly in pl. The system of wires used to operate the
      puppets in a puppet show; hence (Chiefly Political Slang),
      the network of hidden influences controlling the action of
      a person or organization; as, to pull the wires for
      office; -- in this sense, synonymous with {strings}.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

   4. One who picks women's pockets. [Thieves' Slang]
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   5. A knitting needle. [Scot.]
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   6. A wire stretching across over a race track at the judges'
      stand, to mark the line at which the races end. [Racing
      Cant]
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   {Wire bed}, {Wire mattress}, an elastic bed bottom or
      mattress made of wires interwoven or looped together in
      various ways.

   {Wire bridge}, a bridge suspended from wires, or cables made
      of wire.

   {Wire cartridge}, a shot cartridge having the shot inclosed
      in a wire cage.

   {Wire cloth}, a coarse cloth made of woven metallic wire, --
      used for strainers, and for various other purposes.

   {Wire edge}, the thin, wirelike thread of metal sometimes
      formed on the edge of a tool by the stone in sharpening
      it.

   {Wire fence}, a fence consisting of posts with strained
      horizontal wires, wire netting, or other wirework,
      between.

   {Wire gauge} or {Wire gage}.
      (a) A gauge for measuring the diameter of wire, thickness
          of sheet metal, etc., often consisting of a metal
          plate with a series of notches of various widths in
          its edge.
      (b) A standard series of sizes arbitrarily indicated, as
          by numbers, to which the diameter of wire or the
          thickness of sheet metal in usually made, and which is
          used in describing the size or thickness. There are
          many different standards for wire gauges, as in
          different countries, or for different kinds of metal,
          the Birmingham wire gauges and the American wire gauge
          being often used and designated by the abbreviations
          B. W. G. and A. W. G. respectively.

   {Wire gauze}, a texture of finely interwoven wire, resembling
      gauze.

   {Wire grass} (Bot.), either of the two common grasses
      {Eleusine Indica}, valuable for hay and pasture, and {Poa
      compressa}, or blue grass. See {Blue grass}.

   {Wire grub} (Zool.), a wireworm.

   {Wire iron}, wire rods of iron.

   {Wire lathing}, wire cloth or wire netting applied in the
      place of wooden lathing for holding plastering.

   {Wire mattress}. See {Wire bed}, above.

   {Wire micrometer}, a micrometer having spider lines, or fine
      wires, across the field of the instrument.

   {Wire nail}, a nail formed of a piece of wire which is headed
      and pointed.

   {Wire netting}, a texture of woven wire coarser than ordinary
      wire gauze.

   {Wire rod}, a metal rod from which wire is formed by drawing.
      

   {Wire rope}, a rope formed wholly, or in great part, of
      wires.

   {down to the wire}, up to the last moment, as in a race or
      competition; as, the two front runners were neck-and-neck
      down to the wire. From {wire[6]}.

   {under the wire}, just in time; shortly before the deadline;
      as, to file an application just under the wire.
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