pipe

1 of 2

noun

ˈpīp 

plural pipes

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)

pipes : vocal cords, voice

… the actress famously showed off her pipes with the emotional ballad "There Are Worse Things I Could Do."

—Sophie Dodd

a singer with a great set of pipes

(2)

: piping sense 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 geologic 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 sense 2c, cinch

pipeful

ˈpīp-ˌfu̇l 

noun

pipeless

ˈpīp-ləs 

adjective

pipelike

ˈpīp-ˌlīk 

adjective

pipe

2 of 2

verb

piped; piping

intransitive verb

1

a

: to play on a pipe

b

: to convey orders by signals on a boatswain's pipe

2

a

: to speak in a high or shrill voice

b

: to emit a shrill sound

transitive verb

1

a

: to play (a tune) on a pipe

b

: to utter in the shrill tone of a pipe

2

a

: to lead or cause to go with pipe music

b(1)

: to call or direct by the boatswain's pipe

(2)

: to receive aboard or attend the departure of by sounding a boatswain's pipe

3

: to trim with piping

4

: to place (batter, frosting, etc.) on a surface by pressing or squeezing through a bag or tube fitted with a special nozzle

Pipe frosting over each frozen ice cream mound to cover.

—Emily Young

also : to create (a decoration or pattern) by this method

Pipe a rosette of whipped cream on top.

—Elizabeth Craig

5

: to furnish or equip with pipes

6

: to convey by or as if by pipes

especially : to transmit by wire or coaxial cable

7

: notice

Synonyms

Noun

• channel
• conduit
• duct
• leader
• line
• penstock
• trough
• tube

Verb

• canalize
• channel
• channelize
• conduct
• direct
• funnel
• siphon
• syphon

Example Sentences

Noun

He has the pipes to sing on Broadway.

a singer with a fine set of pipes

Verb

The pipers piped while the drummers drummed.

The musician piped a tune.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Geothermal energy: uses heat from Earth's interior as an energy source Hydropower: uses water from reservoirs and rivers to provide drinking water, hydrate plant crops, control floods and droughts, help with navigation, and create energy by being pumped into a generator through a pipe. —Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 26 Apr. 2023

Cathcart is referring to the plumbing that the vanity's sink and faucet connect to—the water lines and waste pipe connect to the underside of the sink via the bendy P-trap pipe. —Kristina Mcguirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2023

Their water and electricity supplies were then cut when a pipe was hit by gunfire. —Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 25 Apr. 2023

Just last week, a man was assaulted with a pipe during a dispute over elver fishing in Nova Scotia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported. —Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 17 Apr. 2023

The brass industrial pipe towel holder that is equal parts form and function. —Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 15 Apr. 2023

Amid the legal inquiries and diminished public support, Snyder faced significant challenges in building a new stadium in the region to replace the aging FedEx Field, which opened in 1997 and has been plagued by pipe leaks and other structural failings. —Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2023

Between the pipes Ivan Prosvetov earned another start in net after surrendering 15 goals in his last two starts. —Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2023

In an interview with King 5 News, regional retail manager Eric Marks said the perpetrators even cut through the bathroom wall without hitting any pipes. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 7 Apr. 2023

Verb

The carbon dioxide and other gases are diverted from the chimney and piped into a room where a few parking spaces have been repurposed to house the carbon capture system. —Cathy Bussewitz, Fortune, 15 May 2023

Since very little gas is being piped in from Russia (pdf), several factors could cause a swing in prices. —Aurora Almendral, Quartz, 12 May 2023

The broth is piped to the colony’s anaerobic digester, where microorganisms break down biodegradable waste to produce methane gas that will fuel spacecraft and other vehicles. —Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, 8 May 2023

That’s what people on TV baking competitions and in YouTube tutorials pipe onto cookies with ease, producing flawless designs. —Mabel Wong, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2023

Those hoping for a deep, V-8 rumble may be disappointed, though, as its active exhaust emits a raspy growl more befitting a V-6 (additional V-8 sound effects overlaid with an EV-like whir are piped through the stereo speakers). —Mike Sutton, Car and Driver, 17 Mar. 2023

Underneath that console is a vast array of electrical wiring that is vital to controlling the plane – and spilling piping hot drinks on it might cause technical equipment to overheat or trigger the system to shut down. —Manveena Suri, CNN, 17 Mar. 2023

Colors will spread and swirl as the meringue is piped. —Naomi Ross, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2023

The idea that contestants could break out into song while piping choux pastry doesn’t seem so far-fetched. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing pipe

• light pipe
• half-pipe
• briar pipe
• flue pipe
• pipe clay
• organ pipe cactus
• lead-pipe
• pipe dream
• pipe down
• peace pipe
• pipe fitting
• pipe stop
• pipe fitter
• pipe organ
• put/stick that in your pipe and smoke it
• pipe up
• pitch pipe
• waste pipe
• tuning pipe
• pipe wrench
• reed pipe
• soil pipe
• water pipe
• Dutchman's-pipe
• corncob pipe
• pipe cleaner
• pipe bomb
• Indian pipe

See More

• light pipe
• half-pipe
• briar pipe
• flue pipe
• pipe clay
• organ pipe cactus
• lead-pipe
• pipe dream
• pipe down
• peace pipe
• pipe fitting
• pipe stop
• pipe fitter
• pipe organ
• put/stick that in your pipe and smoke it
• pipe up
• pitch pipe
• waste pipe
• tuning pipe
• pipe wrench
• reed pipe
• soil pipe
• water pipe
• Dutchman's-pipe
• corncob pipe
• pipe cleaner
• pipe bomb
• Indian pipe

See More

Kids Definition

pipe

1 of 2 noun

ˈpīp 

1

a

: a musical instrument consisting of a tube of reed, wood, or metal that is played by blowing

b

: one of the tubes of a pipe organ

c

: bagpipe

—usually used in plural

d

: the whistle, call, or note especially of a bird or an insect

2

: a long tube or hollow body for carrying a substance (as water, steam, or gas)

3

: a tube with a small bowl at one end used for smoking tobacco

4

: a large barrel used especially to hold oil or wine

pipe

2 of 2 verb

piped; piping

1

a

: to play on a pipe

b

: to receive on board or signal the departure of by the sounding of a boatswain's pipe

2

: to speak, call, or play with a high shrill tone

3

: to furnish or trim with piping

4

: to carry by or as if by pipes

pipe water

piper noun