pipe

[ pahyp ]

/ paɪp /

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See synonyms for: pipe / piping on Thesaurus.com

noun

a 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.

boatswain's pipe.
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.

Music. bagpipe.
a set of flutes, as a panpipe.
Informal. a tubular organ or passage of a human or animal body, especially a respiratory passage: to complain of congested 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.

verb (used without object), piped, pip·ing.

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.

verb (used with object), piped, pip·ing.

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.

Verb Phrases

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR pipe

16 cheep, chitter, whistle, chirp, peep, trill, twitter, tweet.

See synonyms for pipe on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of pipe

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun pipe, pip, pippe, Old English pīpe “musical pipe, tube” (cognate with Dutch pijp, Low German pīpe, German Pfeife, Old Norse pīpa ), from Vulgar Latin pīpa (unrecorded), back formation from Latin pīpāre “to chirp, play a pipe”; Middle English verb pipen; in part continuing Old English pīpian “to play a pipe,” from Latin pīpāre; in part from Old French piper “to make a shrill sound,” from Latin pīpāre; cf. peep²

OTHER WORDS FROM pipe

pipeless, adjectivepipelike, adjectiveun·piped, adjective

Words nearby pipe

Piozzi, pip, pi-pa, pipage, pipal, pipe, pipe bomb, pipe clay, pipe cleaner, pipe cutter, piped music

Other definitions for pipe (2 of 2)

pipe²

[ pahyp ]

/ paɪp /

noun

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

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French, ultimately same as pipe¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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 Diego
The 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 Diego
The 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 Diego
While 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|Fortune

This 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|DAILY BEAST
And 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|DAILY BEAST
It 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|DAILY BEAST
There 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|DAILY BEAST
All 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|DAILY BEAST
Aristide washed and powdered Jean himself, the landlord lounging by, pipe in mouth, administering suggestions.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Drone: the largest tube of a bag-pipe, giving forth a dull heavy tone.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
The 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)

pipe¹

/ (paɪp) /

noun

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 taborSee 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

verb

to play (music) on a pipe

(tr) to summon or lead by a pipeto 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 ofto 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

Derived forms of pipe

pipeless, adjectivepipy, adjective

Word Origin for pipe

Old English pīpe (n), pīpian (vb), ultimately from Latin pīpāre to chirp

British Dictionary definitions for pipe (2 of 2)

pipe²

/ (paɪp) /

noun

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

Word Origin for pipe

C14: via Old French (in the sense: tube, tubular vessel), ultimately from Latin pīpāre to chirp; compare pipe 1

Collins 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

pipe

[ pīp ]

A vertical cylindrical vein of ore.

See volcanic pipe.

Other Idioms and Phrases with pipe

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

pipe

OTHER WORDS FOR pipe

Origin of pipe

OTHER WORDS FROM pipe

Words nearby pipe

Other definitions for pipe (2 of 2)

Origin of pipe

Words related to pipe

How to use pipe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pipe (1 of 2)

Derived forms of pipe

Word Origin for pipe

British Dictionary definitions for pipe (2 of 2)

Word Origin for pipe

Scientific definitions for pipe

Other Idioms and Phrases with pipe