pipe

1 of 2

noun

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)
(2)
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
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
pipeful noun
pipeless adjective
pipelike 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

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 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pipe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pipe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near pipe

Cite this Entry

“Pipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pipe. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

pipe

1 of 2 noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on pipe

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