Definition

1. Noun:
   • Wire used to make bales: "Baling wire" refers to a type of strong, durable wire, typically made of steel, that is specifically designed for binding or tying together compressed materials, such as hay, straw, or cotton, into compact, manageable bundles called bales.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer repaired the fence using a piece of old baling wire.
  • We need to buy a new spool of baling wire before we can bale the hay.
  • The sculpture was constructed entirely from recycled baling wire.

Advanced Usage

• "To be held together by baling wire": An idiom describing something that is poorly constructed, makeshift, or barely functional, often relying on temporary or improvised fixes.

  • The old truck is held together by baling wire and hope, but it still runs.

• "Baling wire and chewing gum": A colloquial phrase emphasizing a crude, temporary, or resourceful repair.

  • The solution was a classic case of baling wire and chewing gum, but it worked long enough to finish the job.

Variants and Related Words

• Bale (n/v): A tightly bound bundle of material, such as hay; the act of compressing material into such a bundle.

  • A bale of hay sat in the field.
  • They will bale the straw tomorrow.

• Baler (n): A machine used to compress and tie material into bales.

  • The tractor pulled the baler through the field.

Synonyms

• Binding wire: Wire used for fastening or tying.
• Tie wire: Wire used for securing objects together.

Related Phrases

• To wire something up: To connect or secure something using wire, often in a makeshift way.
  • He wired up the broken handle with some baling wire.

Related Idioms

• "A baling wire solution": Refers to a temporary, improvised, or rustic fix for a problem.
  • Don't look for elegance here; this is a baling wire solution to get us through the week.

Noun

1. wire used to make bales