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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Other Words from tube

tubed \ ˈtübd

, ˈtyübd \ adjective

tubelike \ ˈtüb-ˌlīk

, ˈtyüb- \ adjective

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

San Onofre was shut down in January 2012 after a small radiation leak led to the discovery of extensive damage to hundreds of tubes inside the virtually new generators. — Washington Post, "House panel highlights risks over nuclear-storage stalemate," 7 June 2019 Leonel lay in the hospital bed, in a horrible tangle of tubes and wires, like a photograph somebody had scratched with a pen. — Nathaniel Penn, Popular Mechanics, "The Day the Town Blew Up," 3 June 2019 The boy was curious about – and a little frightened of — the lady in a wheelchair who had no legs and the stub of a breathing tube protruding from her neck. — Joseph A. Slobodzian, Philly.com, "'I'm not angry,' says Mariya Plekan, 5 years after losing legs in Salvation Army building collapse," 1 June 2018 Over the last month Decatur drivers may have noticed a series of thin tubes crisscrossing intersections, particularly downtown. — Bill Banks, ajc, "Decatur looking to upgrade signal timing through downtown," 31 May 2018 Routinely inspect the foundation of your home for signs of mud tubes (used by termites to reach a food source), cracked or bubbling paint and wood that sounds hollow when tapped. — Leah Napoliello, Houston Chronicle, "BBB on Homes: Move quickly against ‘silent destroyers’," 20 May 2018 What if the slightest misalignment of a tiny tube in a jet engine could cause a fatal catastrophe? — Roma Agrawal, New York Times, "Under Modernity’s Hood: Precision Engineering," 14 May 2018 Here, surrounded by miles of plastic tubes, weaving upward through 900 acres of forestland, owner and founder David Marvin showed me how maple syrup is produced in 2018. — Jason Wilson, charlotteobserver, "Vermont’s maple syrup business is booming, thanks to technology and changing tastes," 4 May 2018 These guys are obviously wearing white tube socks under their suits. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Ryan Reynolds Falls for a Prank Pulled by Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal," 22 Dec. 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

14 Jun 2019

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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