tunnel

American  

[tuhn-l] / ˈtʌn l /

noun

1. an underground passage.

2. a passageway, as for trains or automobiles, through or under an obstruction, as a city, mountain, river, harbor, or the like.

3. an approximately horizontal gallery or corridor in a mine.

4. the burrow of an animal.

5. Dialect.  a funnel.

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verb (used with object)

tunneled, tunneling tunnelled, tunnelling

1. to construct a passageway through or under.

   to tunnel a mountain.

2. to make or excavate (a tunnel or underground passage).

   to tunnel a passage under a river.

3. to move or proceed by or as if by boring a tunnel.

   The river tunneled its way through the mountain.

4. to pierce or hollow out, as with tunnels.

verb (used without object)

tunneled, tunneling tunnelled, tunnelling

1. to make a tunnel or tunnels.

   to tunnel through the Alps.

tunnel British  

/ ˈtʌnəl /

noun

1. an underground passageway, esp one for trains or cars that passes under a mountain, river, or a congested urban area

2. any passage or channel through or under something

3. a dialect word for funnel

4. obsolete  the flue of a chimney

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verb

1. (tr) to make or force (a way) through or under (something)

   to tunnel a hole in the wall

   to tunnel the cliff

2. (intr; foll by through, under, etc) to make or force a way (through or under something)

   he tunnelled through the bracken

tunnel Idioms  

1. see light at the end of the tunnel.

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Other Word Forms

• subtunnel noun
• tunneler noun
• tunneller noun
• tunnellike adjective
• untunneled adjective
• untunnelled adjective

Etymology

Origin of tunnel

1400–50; late Middle English tonel (noun) < Middle French tonele, tonnelle funnel-shaped net, feminine of tonnel cask, diminutive of tonne tun; -elle

Example Sentences

"I feel like locking in is a way of romanticising getting into your deep work and making that decision of like, 'okay, it's time to get stuff done'." She compares it to tunnel vision.

From BBC

Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi described the flanker as a "bully" after the match, stating there had been an incident in the tunnel between the pair.

From BBC

Negotiations are under way to ensure safe passage for dozens of Hamas fighters holed up in tunnels in a southern Gaza area under Israeli control, multiple sources close to the talks told AFP.

From Barron's

While he loves being with his parents, he said he could not "see a light at the end of the tunnel" when it comes to affording his own home.

From BBC

Federal Bureau of Prison Director William K. Marshall III cited problems with underground tunnels containing the facility’s steam heating system in a memo to staff on Tuesday obtained by the Associated Press.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• channel
• hole
• mine
• pit
• shaft
• subway
• underpass