tube

noun \ ˈtüb , ˈtyüb \

Updated on: 6 Apr 2018

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 b

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

2 a : 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

4 a : 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

—

tubed

play \ˈtübd, ˈtyübd\ adjective

—

tubelike

play \ˈtüb-ˌlīk, ˈtyüb-\ adjective

— down the tube or down the tubes

: into a state of collapse or deterioration

See tube defined for English-language learners

See tube defined for kids

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 of tube from the Web

Finally on April 7, 2017, after four and a half months of blood tests, of tubes and wires, of constant monitoring of his oxygen levels, Baby Boy Green was discharged.

— eva holland, WIRED, "Saving Baby Boy Green," 27 Mar. 2018
Water can go through the thin wall between the main tubes and their associated fibers, but sugar can’t.

— helen czerski, WSJ, "The Freeze and Thaw That Give Us Maple Syrup," 21 Mar. 2018
Her fingerprints were found on the paint tube and the other of the two knives.

— robert anglen, azcentral, "A step-by-step look at Rebecca Zahau's bizarre death at Spreckles Mansion," 8 Mar. 2018
Because of what transpired that night, Steve—who Lori says was an avid surfer with a great sense of humor — is now fed through a tube and is in a wheelchair.

— jason duaine hahn, PEOPLE.com, "California Dad of 5 Left Immobile by Drunk Driver Begins Recovery: 'I Know He's Fully in There'," 7 Mar. 2018
The lipstick tube and matchbook, jumbled with a pair of sunglasses and a ring, seem discarded by an appearance-conscious giantess.

— morgan sykes, The Cut, "A Celebrated Pop Artist’s Gigantic Still Lifes," 18 Feb. 2018
But vaporizing rubidium with a laser and keeping it ultracold creates a cloud the researchers contain in a small tube and magnetize.

— marissa fessenden, Smithsonian, "Scientists Create a New Form of Light by Linking Photons," 16 Feb. 2018
At Denver Health, methadone the color of pink cough syrup flows from a tank, through a clear tube and into plastic cups, the dosage calibrated for each person.

— jennifer brown, The Seattle Times, "Methadone clinics in Colorado have doubled in 3 years," 4 Feb. 2018
The Alameda City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to spend $500,000 on 13 license plate recognition systems, which would be installed over the traffic lanes of several bridges, two underwater tubes and two intersections near city limits.

— sophie haigney, San Francisco Chronicle, "Island of Alameda weighing license-plate readers at entry and exit points," 4 Feb. 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.

Origin and Etymology of tube

French, from Latin tubus; akin to Latin tuba trumpet

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1651

See Words from the same year

tube Synonyms

Synonyms

channel, conduit, duct, leader, line, penstock, pipe, trough;

pipage (or pipeage), pipeline, piping;

TUBE Defined for English Language Learners

tube

noun

Definition of tube for English Language Learners

: 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

TUBE Defined for Kids

tube

noun \ ˈtüb , ˈtyüb \

Definition of tube for Students

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 2

—

tubelike

\ˈtüb-ˌlīk, ˈtyüb-\ adjective

Medical Dictionary

tube

noun \ ˈt(y)üb \

medical Definition of tube

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

2 a : 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

tube

transitive verb

medical Definition of tube

tubed; tubing

: to furnish with, enclose in, or pass through a tube

the patient is then anesthetized…and tubed
—Anesthesia Digest

Learn More about tube

See words that rhyme with tube Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tube Spanish Central: Translation of tube Nglish: Translation of tube for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tube for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tube

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tube

Definition of tube

tubed

tubelike

Examples of tube in a Sentence

Recent Examples of tube from the Web

Origin and Etymology of tube

tube Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Phrases Related to TUBE

Related Phrases

TUBE Defined for English Language Learners

tube

Definition of tube for English Language Learners

TUBE Defined for Kids

tube

Definition of tube for Students

tubelike

Medical Dictionary

tube

medical Definition of tube

tube

medical Definition of tube

Learn More about tube

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