stovepipe

noun

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stove·pipe | \ ˈstōv-ˌpīp

Definition of stovepipe

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : pipe of large diameter usually of sheet steel used as a stove chimney or to connect a stove with a flue

2 : silk hat

3 : an isolated and narrow channel of communication Instead of streamlining Washington's ability to perform, the department clogged it up with new layers of bureaucracy and stovepipes of information.— Christopher Cooper and Robert Block We had 18 intelligence agencies, and they had what was called the famous stovepipes. They wouldn't share with each other, wouldn't talk to each other.— Jay Rockefeller

stovepipe

verb

stovepiped; stovepiping; stovepipes

Definition of stovepipe (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to transmit (information) to a higher level in an organization through an isolated and narrow channel of communication This [Pentagon policy] office, which circumvented the usual procedures of vetting and transparency, stovepiped many of its findings to the highest-ranking officials.— Seymour M. Hersh

Examples of stovepipe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Details like stovepipe sleeves that eliminate excess fabric and a curved hem only make this t-shirt more flattering. — Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2021 Traditionally the hat is a replica of Abe Lincoln’s stovepipe. — Dan Mcconchie, WSJ, 23 Apr. 2021 Suddenly a large black man wearing a stovepipe hat, spectacles and a formal jacket and pants emerged and invited Douglass to his home at 36 Lispenard Street, just a few blocks away. — Graham Hodges, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2020 Hood and Vent: Twenty-gauge sheetmetal and a 5-in. galvanized stovepipe formed the forge's hood and vent. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 2 Jan. 2020 The Taper collection included a beaver fur stovepipe hat that library officials are satisfied that Lincoln wore, though some critics are not convinced there is empirical evidence of an attachment to Honest Abe. — Ray Long, chicagotribune.com, 10 May 2018 The museum has been beset in recent years by the foundation's struggle to pay off a $9 million debt that had gone toward the purchase of Lincoln memorabilia, including the stovepipe hat. — CBS News, 25 Dec. 2019 Hues fade in and out of focus (brights and beiges alike took on starring roles in the Spring 2020 collections) and denim cuts can shift, seemingly spur of the moment, from stovepipe skinnies to wide-leg trousers. — Vogue, 12 Nov. 2019 The Taper collection included a beaver fur stovepipe hat that library officials are satisfied that Lincoln wore, though some critics are not convinced there is empirical evidence of an attachment to Honest Abe. — Ray Long, chicagotribune.com, 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stovepipe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.