wiry

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wiry

(of a sound) produced by or as if by a vibrating wire

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

References in classic literature ?

They all returned to their work now; but Wiry Ben, having had the worst in the bodily contest, was bent on retrieving that humiliation by a success in sarcasm.

"On'y he'll lave the panels out o' th' doors sometimes, eh, Seth?" said Wiry Ben.

"Ne'er heed me, Seth," said Wiry Ben, "y' are a down-right good- hearted chap, panels or no panels; an' ye donna set up your bristles at every bit o' fun, like some o' your kin, as is mayhap cliverer."

Before the first stroke had died away, Sandy Jim had loosed his plane and was reaching his jacket; Wiry Ben had left a screw half driven in, and thrown his screwdriver into his tool-basket; Mum Taft, who, true to his name, had kept silence throughout the previous conversation, had flung down his hammer as he was in the act of lifting it; and Seth, too, had straightened his back, and was putting out his hand towards his paper cap.

"Bodderation, Adam!" exclaimed Wiry Ben; "lave a chap aloon, will'ee?

With this exit speech, which he considered effective, Wiry Ben shouldered his basket and left the workshop, quickly followed by Mum Taft and Sandy Jim.

View in context

In this humour of passive resistance, and with his garment collected beneath him to keep his limbs from the wet pavement, Isaac sat in a corner of his dungeon, where his folded hands, his dishevelled hair and beard, his furred cloak and high cap, seen by the wiry and broken light, would have afforded a study for Rembrandt, had that celebrated painter existed at the period.

View in context

In their wake came the handful of low country baboons and the thousands of the hill clan--savage, wiry, dog-like creatures, athirst for blood.

View in context

IF any player the Indians fear in the current Pakistan side it is the wiry figure of Mohammad Amir.

Players to watch

Brahim is a little heavenly dancer, witty and wiry, Vinicius is back and looking delightful.

Zidane presides over meltdown at Madrid

I never do anything without consulting with my guts," the wiry 51-year-old told me.

The Charlie Chaplin of Jewish Death

What wizardry we witnessed when wretched weirdoes wore wiry walrus whiskers while waging war with wheezing wolverines whacking whirling wombats.