pipeline

[ pahyp-lahyn ]

noun

1. a long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport crude oil, natural gas, water, etc., especially over great distances.
2. a route, channel, or process along which something passes or is provided at a steady rate; means, system, or flow of supply or supplies:

   Freighters and cargo planes are a pipeline for overseas goods.

3. a channel of information, especially one that is direct, privileged, or confidential; inside source; reliable contact.

verb (used with object)

, pipe·lined, pipe·lin·ing.

1. to convey by or as if by pipeline:

   to pipeline oil from the far north to ice-free ports; to pipeline graduates into the top jobs.

pipeline

/ ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a long pipe, esp underground, used to transport oil, natural gas, etc, over long distances
2. a medium of communication, esp a private one
3. in the pipeline
   in the process of being completed, delivered, or produced

verb

1. to convey by pipeline
2. to supply with a pipeline

Word History and Origins

Origin of pipeline¹

First recorded in 1855–60; pipe ¹ + line ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the pipeline,
   1. Informal. in the process of being developed, provided, or completed; in the works; under way.
   2. Government Informal. (of funds) authorized but not spent.

Example Sentences

Croeser said current ways of designing or retrofitting streets did not support healthy canopy growth as planning prioritised infrastructure such as cabling and pipelines over tree growth.

From Science Daily

All that stuff had to be engineered into our pipeline in order to get that final look.”

From Los Angeles Times

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, they said the "cumulative burden" of the Budget changes, and other policies already in the pipeline, would amount to an additional £7bn in costs next year.

From BBC

She has since suggested that the United States covertly worked with Ukraine on dangerous biological pathogens and was culpable for the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany in September 2022.

From New York Times

In October 2023 a natural gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was severely damaged.

From BBC

Related Words

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• almanac
• card
• chronology
• diary
• docket
• journal
• lineup
• list
• program
• table
• timetable