pipe
1a hollow cylinder of metal, wood, or other material, used for the conveyance of water, gas, steam, petroleum, etc.
a tube of wood, clay, hard rubber, or other material, with a small bowl at one end, used for smoking tobacco, opium, etc.
a quantity, as of tobacco, that fills the bowl of such a smoking utensil.
Music.
a tube used as, or to form an essential part of, a musical wind instrument.
a musical wind instrument consisting of a single tube of straw, reed, wood, or other material, as a flute, clarinet, or oboe.
one of the wooden or metal tubes from which the tones of an organ are produced.
a small end-blown flute played with one hand while the other beats a small drum.
Nautical.
the sound of a boatswain's pipe.
the call or utterance of a bird, frog, etc.
pipes, Informal. the human vocal cords or the voice, especially as used in singing.
Usually pipes.
any of various tubular or cylindrical objects, parts, or formations, as an eruptive passage of a volcano or geyser.
Mining.
a cylindrical vein or body of ore.
(in South Africa) a vertical, cylindrical matrix, of intrusive igneous origin, in which diamonds are found.
Metallurgy. a depression occurring at the center of the head of an ingot as a result of the tendency of solidification to begin at the bottom and sides of the ingot mold.
Botany. the stem of a plant.
to play on a pipe.
Nautical. to signal, as with a boatswain's pipe.
to speak in a high-pitched or piercing tone.
to make or utter a shrill sound like that of a pipe: songbirds piping at dawn.
to convey by or as by pipes: to pipe water from the lake.
to supply with pipes.
to play (music) on a pipe or pipes.
to summon, order, etc., by sounding the boatswain's pipe or whistle: all hands were piped on deck.
to bring, lead, etc., by or as by playing on a pipe: to pipe dancers.
to utter in a shrill tone: to pipe a command.
to trim or finish with piping, as an article of clothing.
Cooking. to force (dough, frosting, etc.) through a pastry tube onto a baking sheet, cake or pie, etc.
Informal. to convey by an electrical wire or cable: to pipe a signal from the antenna.
Slang. to look at; notice: Pipe the cat in the hat.
pipe down, Slang. to stop talking; be quiet: He shouted at us to pipe down.
pipe up,
to begin to play (a musical instrument) or to sing.
to make oneself heard; speak up, especially as to assert oneself.
to increase in velocity, as the wind.
Origin of pipe
1Other words for pipe
Other words from pipe
- pipeless, adjective
- pipelike, adjective
- un·piped, adjective
Words Nearby pipe
Other definitions for pipe (2 of 2)
a large cask, of varying capacity, especially for wine or oil.
such a cask as a measure of liquid capacity, equal to 4 barrels, 2 hogsheads, or half a tun, and containing 126 wine gallons.
such a cask with its contents.
Origin of pipe
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use pipe in a sentence
Carson also warned that “there’s a fortune” to be made off building the parallel pipe.
The Water Authority Is Resurrecting Its Pipe Dream – Again | MacKenzie Elmer | September 1, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoThe Water Authority studied the pipe dream at least five times in the past.
The Water Authority Is Resurrecting Its Pipe Dream – Again | MacKenzie Elmer | September 1, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoThe Water Authority estimates the pipe could save ratepayers other billions – eventually.
The Water Authority Is Resurrecting Its Pipe Dream – Again | MacKenzie Elmer | September 1, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoWhile solids and liquids descend the network, sewer gases — often detectable by their odor — sometimes rise through pipes in the absence of sufficient water, said Morawska, who wasn’t part of the research team.
Scientists found coronavirus in a long-vacant apartment. A possible spreader? ‘Fecal aerosol plumes’ | Claire Zillman, reporter | August 27, 2020 | FortuneThis weekend, NBC 7 reported that city workers did in fact move into the building before the sewage system had been repaired and the drinking water had been flushed — meaning there was brown water coming out of the pipes.
Morning Report: The Deal Before the 101 Ash St. Deal | Voice of San Diego | August 24, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
I was drawn to The Class for different reasons—chiefly, the pipe dream of achieving a tighter and tauter backside.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze | Lizzie Crocker | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd then I said, ‘Well, chief, when the admiral comes aboard, the first mate has to pipe him in.’
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile | Robert Ward | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIt would be like if after the 40th pipe in Flappy Bird was a scarecrow.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art | Alec Kubas-Meyer | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThere was poop humor—literally—when Valerie's house becomes flooded with fecal matter after a pipe bursts.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards | Kevin Fallon | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAll it needs is one more “pipe” to select and transmit the crucial information.
Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014 | Clive Irving | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAristide washed and powdered Jean himself, the landlord lounging by, pipe in mouth, administering suggestions.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeDrone: the largest tube of a bag-pipe, giving forth a dull heavy tone.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftThe pipe has a modern look and is altogether unlike those found by the English in use among the Indians in Virginia.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.“Now this is what I call real felicity,” observed the major, pulling out a pipe which he proceeded to fill.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne“With pleasure, my dear fellow,” said the major puffing vigorously for a few moments to get his pipe well alight.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for pipe (1 of 2)
/ (paɪp) /
a long tube of metal, plastic, etc, used to convey water, oil, gas, etc
a long tube or case
an object made in any of various shapes and sizes, consisting of a small bowl with an attached tubular stem, in which tobacco or other substances are smoked
(as modifier): a pipe bowl
Also called: pipeful the amount of tobacco that fills the bowl of a pipe
zoology botany any of various hollow organs, such as the respiratory passage of certain animals
any musical instrument whose sound production results from the vibration of an air column in a simple tube
any of the tubular devices on an organ, in which air is made to vibrate either directly, as in a flue pipe, or by means of a reed
an obsolete three-holed wind instrument, held in the left hand while played and accompanied by the tabor: See tabor
the pipes See bagpipes
a shrill voice or sound, as of a bird
a boatswain's pipe
the sound it makes
(plural) informal the respiratory tract or vocal cords
metallurgy a conical hole in the head of an ingot, made by escaping gas as the metal cools
a cylindrical vein of rich ore, such as one of the vertical diamond-bearing veins at Kimberley, South Africa
Also called: volcanic pipe a vertical cylindrical passage in a volcano through which molten lava is forced during eruption
US slang something easy to do, esp a simple course in college
put that in your pipe and smoke it informal accept that fact if you can
to play (music) on a pipe
(tr) to summon or lead by a pipe: to pipe the dancers
to utter (something) shrilly
to signal orders to (the crew) by a boatswain's pipe
(tr) to signal the arrival or departure of: to pipe the admiral aboard
(tr) to convey (water, gas, etc) by a pipe or pipes
(tr) to provide with pipes
(tr) to trim (an article, esp of clothing) with piping
(tr) to force (cream, icing, etc) through a shaped nozzle to decorate food
Origin of pipe
1Derived forms of pipe
- pipeless, adjective
- pipy, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for pipe (2 of 2)
/ (paɪp) /
a large cask for wine, oil, etc
a measure of capacity for wine equal to four barrels. 1 pipe is equal to 126 US gallons or 105 Brit gallons
a cask holding this quantity with its contents
Origin of pipe
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for pipe
[ pīp ]
A vertical cylindrical vein of ore.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with pipe
In addition to the idioms beginning with pipe
- pipe down
- pipe dream
- pipe up
also see:
- in the pipeline
- lead-pipe cinch
- put that in your pipe
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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