tube

noun

\ˈtüb,

ˈtyüb\

Definition of tube

1 : any of various usually cylindrical structures or devices: such as

a : a hollow elongated cylinder especially : one to convey fluids

b : a soft tubular container whose contents (such as toothpaste) can be removed by squeezing

c(1) : tunnel

(2) British : subway sense b

d : the basically cylindrical section between the mouthpiece and bell that is the fundamental part of a wind instrument

2a : a slender channel (such as a fallopian tube or a pollen tube) within a plant or animal body : duct

b : the narrow basal portion of a corolla with united petals or a calyx with united sepals

3 : inner tube

4a : electron tube especially : vacuum tube

b : cathode-ray tube especially : a television picture tube

c : television

5 : an article of clothing shaped like a tube a tube top tube socks

down the tube or down the tubes

: into a state of collapse or deterioration

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Examples of tube in a Sentence

She was breathing oxygen through a tube. watched the liquid move through the tube between the flasks and recorded the movement in his chemistry notebook

Recent Examples on the Web

Around the world, seven high-impact tubes of MAC Ruby Woo are bought every minute. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "The 13 Best Selling Red Lipsticks of All Time," 24 Nov. 2018 Cranking the arm generates a magnetic field that’s able to charge the lithium ion battery inside tube. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Nendo designs an attractive hand-crank phone charger," 12 Nov. 2018 The company, which aims to reduce travel times by operating carbon-fiber pods through nearly airless tubes at close-to supersonic speeds, has demonstrated its technology at its test site in Nevada. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "Virgin Hyperloop One taps Citi Bike’s Jay Walder as new CEO," 8 Nov. 2018 Several Malian performers take part in the performance, including Ballaké Sissoko, a virtuoso on the kora (a kind of harp-lute), while the Malagasy musician Rajery plays valiha (Madagascar’s signature bamboo-tube zither). — Thomas May, The Seattle Times, "‘The Routes of Slavery’ traces a musical journey of resilience in the face of inhumanity," 31 Oct. 2018 Eight tubes emerging from his nose, mouth, brain, and more kept him alive. — Kerry Cromwell, Good Housekeeping, "My Little Boy Was Just 7 Years Old When He Had a Catastrophic Stroke," 26 July 2018 An all-inclusive vacation is never complete without waterslides, tubes and a lazy river on over 500,000 square feet of pools. — Marissa Miller, Teen Vogue, "13 Dream Vacations to Add to Your Bucket List," 24 Oct. 2018 Cyclists Pretty much every part of a bicycle, from saddles and spokes to tubes and frames, features on this latest tariffs list, even after the industry went into overdrive to get relief. — Daniela Wei, The Seattle Times, "Winners and losers from Trump’s tariffs," 18 Sep. 2018 Two new colors join the bunch, a metallic taupe with a dark gold, glittered tube, and a sparkly, fluorescent pink that's very Glam Barbie. — Rachel Nussbaum, Glamour, "Too Faced Is Making a 'Better Than Birthday Sex' Mascara for Its Anniversary," 1 Aug. 2018

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

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Statistics for tube

Last Updated

29 Nov 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for tube

The first known use of tube was in 1651

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More Definitions for tube

tube

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tube

: a long, hollow object that is used especially to control the flow of a liquid or gas

: an object shaped like a pipe

: a soft, long, narrow container that has a small opening at one end and that contains a soft material which can be pushed out by squeezing

See the full definition for tube in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tube

noun

\ˈtüb,

ˈtyüb\

Kids Definition of tube

1 : a long hollow cylinder used especially to carry fluids

2 : a long soft container whose contents (as toothpaste or glue) can be removed by squeezing

3 : a slender channel within a plant or animal body : duct

4 : a hollow cylinder of rubber inside a tire to hold air

5 : electron tube

6 : television sense 2

tube

noun

\ˈt(y)üb

Medical Definition of tube

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a slender channel within a plant or animal body : duct — see bronchial tube, eustachian tube, fallopian tube

2a : an often complex piece of laboratory or technical apparatus usually of glass and commonly serving to isolate or convey a product of reaction a distillation tube

b : test tube

3 : a soft tubular container whose contents (as toothpaste) can be dispensed by squeezing

4 : a hollow cylindrical device (as a cannula) used for insertion into bodily passages or hollow organs for removal or injection of materials