piping

American  

[pahy-ping] / ˈpaɪ pɪŋ /

noun

1. pipes pipe collectively; a system or network of pipes. pipe.

2. material formed into a pipe or pipes. pipe.

3. the act of a person or thing that pipes. pipe.

4. the sound of pipes. pipe.

5. a shrill sound.

6. the music of pipes. pipe.

7. a cordlike ornamentation made of icing, used on pastry.

8. a tubular band of ornamental material, sometimes containing a cord, used for trimming the edges and seams of clothing, upholstery, etc.

---

adjective

1. characterized by the peaceful music of the pipe.

2. playing on a musical pipe.

3. that pipes. pipe.

4. emitting a shrill sound.

   a piping voice.

idioms

1. piping hot, (of food or drink) very hot.

piping British  

/ ˈpaɪpɪŋ /

noun

1. pipes collectively, esp pipes formed into a connected system, as in the plumbing of a house

2. a cord of icing, whipped cream, etc, often used to decorate desserts and cakes

3. a thin strip of covered cord or material, used to edge hems, etc

4. the sound of a pipe or a set of bagpipes

5. the art or technique of playing a pipe or bagpipes

6. a shrill voice or sound, esp a whistling sound

---

adjective

1. making a shrill sound

2. archaic relating to the pipe (associated with peace), as opposed to martial instruments, such as the fife or trumpet

adverb

1. extremely hot

Other Word Forms

• pipingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of piping

1200–50; Middle English (gerund); pipe ¹, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

West End Girl’ is an active listening experience where one must sift through the many contradictions, confessions and piping hot, unfiltered tea.

From Los Angeles Times

Plugging idle and exhausted wells includes removing surface valves and piping, pumping large amounts of cement down the hole and reclaiming the surrounding ground.

From Los Angeles Times

Higher in the mountains, the evidence of BTAZ’s grazing was even clearer: swaths of ground chewed and trampled bare, discarded plastic piping, cow feces and bones in an unfenced creek.

From Salon

Members of the group spent six hours crafting each stocking, using hand embroidery, piping and seam-matching skills.

From BBC

But Carney's memorandum of understanding with Alberta to advance an initiative that involves piping bitumen to Canada's northwest Pacific coast and building a massive port to accommodate oil tankers has drawn outrage.

From Barron's