Main Entry: ¹pipe

Pronunciation: \ˈpīp\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pīpa (akin to Old High German pfīfa pipe), from Vulgar Latin *pipa pipe, from Latin pipare to peep, of imitative origin

Date: before 12th century

1 a : a tubular wind instrument; specifically : a small fipple flute held in and played by the left hand b : one of the tubes of a pipe organ: (1) : flue pipe (2) : reed pipe c : bagpipe —usually used in plural d (1) : voice, vocal cord —usually used in plural (2) : piping 1
2 a : a long tube or hollow body for conducting a liquid, gas, or finely divided solid or for structural purposes b : a means of transmission (as of television signals or computer data) <a broadband fiber-optic pipe>
3 a : a tubular or cylindrical object, part, or passage b : a roughly cylindrical and vertical geological formation c : the eruptive channel opening into the crater of a volcano
4 a : a large cask of varying capacity used especially for wine and oil b : any of various units of liquid capacity based on the size of a pipe; especially : a unit equal to two hogsheads
5 : a device for smoking usually consisting of a tube having a bowl at one end and a mouthpiece at the other
6 : snap 2c, cinch

— pipe·ful \-ˌfu̇l\ noun

— pipe·less \ˈpīp-ləs\ adjective

— pipe·like \ˈpīp-ˌlīk\ adjective