spool: Meaning and Definition of

spool

Pronunciation: (spl), [key]
— n.
  1. any cylindrical piece or device on which something is wound.
  2. a small cylindrical piece of wood or other material on which yarn is wound in spinning, for use in weaving; a bobbin.
  3. a small cylinder of wood or other material on which thread, wire, or tape is wound, typically expanded or with a rim at each end and having a hole lengthwise through the center.
  4. the material or quantity of material wound on such a device.
  5. the cylindrical drum in a reel that bears the line.
—v.t.
  1. to wind on a spool.
  2. to unwind from a spool (usually fol. by off or out).
  3. to operate (an input/output device) by using buffers in main and secondary storage.
—v.i.
  1. to wind.
  2. to unwind.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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