wire

Compared meaning: a message sent by telegraph (noun).

比较义项：电报（名词）。

• wire 本词

  Informal, somewhat old-fashioned American way to say telegram, often heard in phrases like “send a wire”; wire also has many unrelated everyday senses (metal wire, electric wire) not compared here.

  口语化、略带过时意味的美式说法，指电报，常见于“send a wire”这类表达；wire还有“金属线、电线”等其他常见意思，这里不作比较。

  Soldiers overseas kept in touch by sending a wire whenever letters took too long.

  海外的士兵在信件太慢的时候，就靠发电报保持联系。

• telegram

  The standard, neutral word for a telegram message, used in both formal writing and everyday speech, without the old-fashioned or casual flavor of wire.

  标准、中性的电报说法，正式书面语和日常口语中都能使用，没有wire那种过时或口语化的意味。

  Grandpa still remembers sending a telegram to announce his wedding.

  爷爷至今还记得当年发电报宣布他的婚礼。

Wire and telegram both mean a telegraph message, but differ. Wire is informal and old-fashioned, chiefly American, as in 'send a wire'. Telegram is the standard, neutral word, used in formal and everyday English. Wire's other senses, like metal or electric wire, are not compared.

这两个词在“电报”这个意思上很接近，但wire更口语化、带点过时的美式说法，常见于旧时新闻或口语表达；telegram则是更标准、中性的说法，正式和日常场合都能用。wire还有“金属线、电线”等其他常见意思，这里不作比较。

Compared meaning: to send a message by telegraph (verb).

比较义项：拍电报（动词）。

• wire 本词

  An informal, somewhat dated verb (chiefly American) for sending a telegram; casual in tone and often used with an indirect object, as in wiring someone some news.

  一个非正式、略显过时的动词（主要用于美式英语），表示拍电报；语气随意，常用双宾语结构，例如给某人拍电报告知消息。

  She wired her brother the news as soon as the ship docked.

  船一靠岸，她就给哥哥拍电报告知了这个消息。

• telegraph

  A more formal, technical verb that names the specific telegraph system used to send the message; it sounds precise and slightly journalistic rather than casual.

  语气更正式、更具技术性，明确指用电报系统发送消息；给人一种精确、略带书面或新闻体的感觉，而非口语化。

  The correspondent telegraphed his report to London before the deadline.

  记者在截稿前把报道用电报发往了伦敦。

Wire and telegraph both mean to send a telegram, but differ. Wire is an informal, dated verb, chiefly American, as in 'wire someone some news'. Telegraph is more formal and technical, naming the specific system used. Other senses of both words are not compared here.

wire 和 telegraph 在“拍电报”这个意义上很接近，但 wire 更口语化、略显过时，是美式英语中常见的说法；telegraph 更正式、技术性更强，直接点明是通过电报系统发送消息。这里不比较 wire 的“金属丝／电线”“电汇”等其他意义，也不比较 telegraph “透露意图、露出马脚”的引申义。