channel

¹

[ chan-l ]

noun

1. the bed of a stream, river, or other waterway.
2. Nautical. a navigable route between two bodies of water.
3. the deeper part of a waterway.
4. a wide strait, as between a continent and an island.
5. a course into which something may be directed:

   He hoped to direct the conversation to a new channel.

6. a route through which anything passes or progresses:

   channels of trade.

7. channels, the specific, prescribed, or official course or means of communication:

   In an emergency he was able to reach the governor without going through channels.

8. a groove or furrow.

   Synonyms: cut, rut, groove, furrow, trough, trench

9. a means of access:

   He considers the Senate a channel to the White House.

10. Architecture.
    1. a flute in a column, especially one having no fillet between it and other flutes.
    2. any of the prominent vertical grooves in a triglyph.
11. (in jazz or popular music) a bridge.
12. Telecommunications. a frequency band of sufficient width for one- or two-way communication from or to a transmitter used for television, radio, CB radio, telephone, or telegraph communication. Compare circuit ( def 10 ).
13. Computers. a path for the transfer of signals or data within a computer or between a computer and its peripheral equipment.
14. Digital Technology.
    1. feed ( def 23 ):

       Learn how to create your own web channel.

    2. a web page or website that distributes frequently updated content by means of a feed:

       Subscribe to my YouTube channel.

15. either of the two signals in stereophonic or any single signal in multichannel sound recording and reproduction.
16. Cell Biology. a transient opening made by a protein embedded in a cell membrane, permitting passage of specific ions or molecules into or out of the cell:

    calcium channel.

17. a tubular passage for liquids or fluids.
18. Building Trades.
    1. any structural member, as one of reinforced concrete, having the form of three sides of a rectangle.
    2. a number of such members:

       channel in 100-foot lengths.

    3. channel iron.

verb (used with object)

, chan·neled, chan·nel·ing or (especially British) chan·nelled, chan·nel·ling.

1. to convey through or as through a channel:

   He channeled the information to us.

   Synonyms: focus, direct, concentrate, steer, route, conduct, pipe, funnel, transport, convey, carry

2. to direct toward or into some particular course:

   to channel one's interests.

3. to excavate as a channel.
4. to form a channel in; groove.
5. to professedly reach or convey messages from (a spiritual guide) by entering a meditative or trancelike state.
6. to imitate the ideas, appearance, etc., of (a person or thing that is admired):

   At times he seems to be channeling the late Michael Jackson’s vocal stylings.

verb (used without object)

, chan·neled, chan·nel·ing or (especially British) chan·nelled, chan·nel·ling.

1. to become marked by a channel:

   Soft earth has a tendency to channel during a heavy rain.

channel

²

[ chan-l ]

noun

1. a horizontal timber or ledge built outboard from the side of a sailing vessel to spread shrouds and backstays outward.

channel

¹

/ ˈtʃænəl /

noun

1. nautical a flat timber or metal ledge projecting from the hull of a vessel above the chainplates to increase the angle of the shrouds

Channel

²

/ ˈtʃænəl /

noun

1. the Channel
   short for English Channel

channel

³

/ ˈtʃænəl /

noun

1. a broad strait connecting two areas of sea
2. the bed or course of a river, stream, or canal
3. a navigable course through a body of water
4. often plural a means or agency of access, communication, etc

   to go through official channels

5. a course into which something can be directed or moved

   a new channel of thought

6. electronics
   1. a band of radio frequencies assigned for a particular purpose, esp the broadcasting of a television signal
   2. a path for an electromagnetic signal

      a stereo set has two channels

   3. a thin semiconductor layer between the source and drain of a field-effect transistor, the conductance of which is controlled by the gate voltage
7. a tubular or trough-shaped passage for fluids
8. a groove or flute, as in the shaft of a column
9. computing
   1. a path along which data can be transmitted between a central processing unit and one or more peripheral devices
   2. one of the lines along the length of a paper tape on which information can be stored in the form of punched holes
10. short for channel iron

verb

1. to provide or be provided with a channel or channels; make or cut channels in (something)
2. tr to guide into or convey through a channel or channels

   information was channelled through to them

3. to serve as a medium through whom the spirit of (a person of a former age) allegedly communicates with the living
4. tr to exhibit the traits of (another person) in one’s actions
5. tr to form a groove or flute in (a column, etc)

channel

/ chăn′əl /

1. A specified frequency band for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals, as for television signals.
2. The part of a field effect transistor, usually U-shaped, through which current flows from the source to the drain.
3. See more at field effect transistor
4. A pathway through a protein molecule in a cell membrane that modulates the electrical potential across the membrane by controlling the passage of small inorganic ions into and out of the cell.
5. The bed or deepest part of a river or harbor.
6. A large strait, especially one that connects two seas.

Derived Forms

• ˈchanneller, noun

Other Words From

• channel·er especially British, channel·ler noun
• multi·channeled adjective
• multi·channelled adjective
• non·channeled adjective
• un·channeled adjective
• un·channelled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of channel¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English chanel, can(n)el, from Old French chanel, canel, from Latin canālis “waterpipe, conduit”; canal

Origin of channel²

First recorded in 1760–70; variant of chain wale

Word History and Origins

Origin of channel¹

C18: variant of earlier chainwale; see chain , wale ¹(planking)

Origin of channel²

C13: from Old French chanel, from Latin canālis pipe, groove, conduit; see canal

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with channel , also see go through channels .

Example Sentences

For years, NBCUniversal’s cable channels — including USA, Bravo and E! — provided the company’s most reliable profits.

From Los Angeles Times

When pain signals are passed along the nervous system, proteins called calcium channels play a key role.

From Science Daily

But Edison Research, one of two respected US firms who carried out exit polls for opposition TV channels, said the commission's figure could not be explained "by normal variation".

From BBC

Fampridine acts on specific ion channels in nerve cells that, according to the researchers' analyses, also play a role in mental disorders such as schizophrenia.

From Science Daily

His YouTube channel has more than 3,500 subscribers, interested in learning programming languages Python and Unity, or who want to hear more about neural networks, which underlie many artificial intelligence tools.

From BBC

Related Words

• carry
• convey
• funnel
• siphon
• transmit
• transport