pipe

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.