Meaning & use
a spool
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Meanings
nouncountable
A round object with thread, wire, or film wrapped around it.
Grammar: Countable: a spool of thread, two spools of wire.
Patterns
- a spool of thread
- a spool of wire
She bought a spool of red thread to fix her coat.
The electrician carried a spool of copper wire up the ladder.
verbtransitivecomputingtechnical
To send data, such as a print job, to a storage area where it waits to be processed.
Grammar: Takes an object: spool the document. Used mainly in computing.
Patterns
- spool a document
- spool a print job
The software spools each document before sending it to the printer.
If the printer is busy, the system will spool your file until it is ready.
Word forms
| plural | spools |
|---|---|
| third person singular | spools |
| past tense | spooled |
| past participle | spooled |
| -ing form | spooling |
Common combinations
- a spool of thread
- I need a spool of white thread to match this shirt.
- a spool of wire
- He unwound a spool of wire to connect the speakers.
- wind thread onto a spool
- Carefully wind the thread onto the spool so it does not tangle.
- spool a document
- The computer will spool the document and print it when the queue is clear.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- spooler noun
- A computer program or device that manages spooled print jobs.
Commonly confused: a spool or spoon?
a spool vs spoon
A spoon is an eating utensil; a spool holds thread or wire. They sound similar but are completely different objects.
Practice
She needed a ___ of thread to sew the button back on.
Choose one answer.
The noun 'spool' fits after 'a' and before 'of thread'. The other forms are a person/thing, a verb form, and a past tense, which do not fit this noun slot.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a spool”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.