pipeline

[pahyp-lahyn]

noun

1. a long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport crude oil, natural gas, water, etc., especially over great distances.

2. a route, channel, or process along which something passes or is provided at a steady rate; means, system, or flow of supply or supplies.

   Freighters and cargo planes are a pipeline for overseas goods.

3. a channel of information, especially one that is direct, privileged, or confidential; inside source; reliable contact.

verb (used with object)

pipelined, pipelining 

1. to convey by or as if by pipeline.

   to pipeline oil from the far north to ice-free ports; to pipeline graduates into the top jobs.

pipeline

/ ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a long pipe, esp underground, used to transport oil, natural gas, etc, over long distances

2. a medium of communication, esp a private one

3. in the process of being completed, delivered, or produced

verb

1. to convey by pipeline

2. to supply with a pipeline

Word History and Origins

Origin of pipeline¹

First recorded in 1855–60; pipe ¹ + line ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the pipeline,

   1. Informal. in the process of being developed, provided, or completed; in the works; under way.

   2. Government Informal. (of funds) authorized but not spent.

Example Sentences

And pipeline transportation also was lower, driven by lower natural gas activity that coincided with a drop in exports to the U.S.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Once a frontier reasoning model, the largest of the large language models, spits out a high-level plan, Gong’s software pipeline springs to life.

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They made the trip to attend a conference organized by George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, which megadonors like Leo have turned into a crucial pipeline and convener for the conservative legal movement.

Read more on Salon

The developer began planning its data-center arm about three years ago and has pledged $500 million to back a development pipeline valued at roughly $45 billion in the U.S. and Canada.

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The firm went on to sell some of its port terminal and pipeline assets in Russia and established new businesses elsewhere.

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Related Words

• agenda 
• almanac 
• card 
• chronology 
• diary 
• docket 
• journal 
• lineup 
• list 
• program 
• table 
• timetable