A small knitting tool, often featuring a dip or bend in the center, designed to securely hold a small number of live stitches off the main needles. By suspending these stitches either at the front or back of the work, the knitter can work the subsequent stitches first, effectively crossing the yarn to create a cable pattern. The central groove prevents the held stitches from slipping off during the maneuver.
Heard on the job
I dropped my cable needle under the couch, so I'm just going to use a spare double-pointed needle for this next cross.