pipe

 
Pronunciation: /pʌɪp/

noun

  • 1a tube used to convey water, gas, oil, or other fluid substances.
  • a cylindrical vein of ore or rock, especially one in which diamonds are found.
  • a cavity in cast metal.
  • informal a duct, vessel, or tubular structure in the body, or in an animal or plant.
  • Computing a connection to the Internet or to a website.
  • 2a device for smoking tobacco, consisting of a narrow tube made from wood, clay, etc. with a bowl at one end in which the tobacco is burned, the smoke from which is drawn into the mouth: [as modifier]: a smell of pipe tobacco
  • a quantity of tobacco held by a pipe: they were sharing a pipe of tobacco
  • a device for smoking illegal drugs: a crack pipe
  • 3a wind instrument consisting of a single tube with holes along its length that are covered by the fingers to produce different notes: the tone of a reed pipe
  • (usually pipes) bagpipes.
  • (pipes) a set of musical pipes joined together, as in pan pipes.
  • any of the cylindrical tubes by which notes are produced in an organ.
  • a boatswain’s whistle.
  • [in singular] a high-pitched cry or song, especially of a bird: the sad little pipe of the ringed plover
  • 4 Computing a command which causes the output from one routine to be the input for another.
    [short for pipeline]
  • the symbol | .
  • 5a cask for wine, especially as a measure equal to two hogsheads, usually equivalent to 105 gallons (about 477 litres): a fresh pipe of port

verb

  • 1 [with object and adverbial of direction] convey (water, gas, oil, or other fluid substances) through a pipe or pipes: water from the lakes is piped to Manchester
  • transmit (music, a radio or television programme, signal, etc.) by wire or cable: he was watching a movie piped to his room on one of the hotel’s video channels
  • 2 [with object] play (a tune) on a pipe or pipes: he believed he’d heard music—a tune being piped
  • [with object and adverbial of direction] play a pipe or pipes as a ceremonial accompaniment to the arrival or departure of (someone): the Duke was piped on board
  • [with object and adverbial] use a boatswain’s whistle to summon (the crew) to work or a meal: the hands were piped to breakfast
  • 3 [no object] (of a bird) sing in a high or shrill voice: outside at the back a curlew piped
  • [with direct speech] say something in a high, shrill voice: ‘No, miss,’ piped Lucy
  • 4 [with object] decorate (clothing or soft furnishings) with thin cord covered in fabric and inserted into a seam.
  • 5arrange (food, particularly icing or cream) in decorative lines or patterns: she had been piping cream round a flan
  • 6 [with object] propagate (a pink or similar plant) by taking a cutting at the joint of a stem.

Phrases

put that in your pipe and smoke it

informal used to indicate that the person addressed will have to accept a particular situation, even if it is unwelcome.

Phrasal Verbs

pipe someone away (or down)

Nautical dismiss someone from duty.

pipe something away

Nautical give a signal for a boat to start.

pipe down

[often in imperative] informal stop talking; be less noisy: pipe down, will you, I’m on the phone

pipe up

say something suddenly: [with direct speech]: ‘I’ll go,’ I piped up

Derivatives

pipeful

noun (plural pipefuls)

pipeless

adjective

pipy

adjective

Origin:

Old English pīpe 'musical tube', pīpian 'play a pipe', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch pijp and German Pfeife, based on Latin pipare 'to peep, chirp', reinforced in Middle English by Old French piper 'to chirp, squeak'