Pipe
/paɪp/
Definitions
6 meaningsA tube used for conveying liquids or gases.
/paɪp/
A tube for conveying fluids or gases.
The gas company is inspecting the pipes.
💡 Simply: A pipe is like a long, hollow tube that lets stuff flow through, like water in your house or gas to your stove. Think of a straw—that's a tiny pipe!
👶 For kids: A pipe is like a tube that things can go through, like water or air.
More Examples
The oil flowed through the pipeline.
The artist used a pipe to create a sculpture.
How It's Used
"The water main broke, and the pipe leaked profusely."
"The plumber replaced the corroded pipes in the basement."
A musical wind instrument, typically a tube or set of tubes, often referring to bagpipes.
/paɪp/
A musical wind instrument.
The piper played a lively tune on his bagpipes.
💡 Simply: Sometimes 'pipe' can mean a musical instrument! Imagine the bagpipes at a Scottish festival – they make music using pipes!
👶 For kids: A pipe can also be a musical instrument that you blow into to make sounds, like bagpipes.
More Examples
The sound of the pipes echoed through the glen.
He learned to play the pipes in his youth.
How It's Used
"The bagpipes filled the hall with a mournful melody."
"The piper led the procession with his music."
A device, typically with a bowl and stem, used for smoking tobacco or other substances.
/paɪp/
A smoking device.
The old man sat on his porch, smoking his pipe.
💡 Simply: Remember Sherlock Holmes? He's always got his pipe. It's a special thing you use to smoke tobacco.
👶 For kids: A pipe can be a thing people use to smoke, like a little bowl with a stick.
More Examples
The pipe was made of fine briar wood.
He carefully cleaned his pipe after each use.
How It's Used
"He enjoyed smoking his tobacco in a pipe after dinner."
"Sherlock Holmes was often depicted smoking a pipe."
To convey or transport (a liquid, gas, etc.) through a pipe or pipes.
/paɪp/
To convey through a pipe.
They will pipe the natural gas from the well to the city.
💡 Simply: If you 'pipe' something, you're using a pipe to get it from one place to another. Like, you pipe water to a house by using pipes.
👶 For kids: To pipe means to send things through a pipe, like water going to your house.
More Examples
The system pipes water to the garden.
The engineers are working on piping the oil.
How It's Used
"The engineers are piping water to the new development."
"They need to pipe the gas to the new building."
To play a wind instrument, especially bagpipes.
/paɪp/
To play a musical instrument.
The piper piped a lively dance tune.
💡 Simply: If you 'pipe', you're making music with a wind instrument, usually the bagpipes.
👶 For kids: To pipe means to play music with a pipe, like bagpipes.
More Examples
He piped a mournful lament.
She loved to hear the bagpipes pipe.
How It's Used
"The musician piped a cheerful tune."
"The piper piped a welcoming melody."
To utter or speak in a high-pitched or shrill voice.
/paɪp/
To utter in a shrill voice.
The child piped a small protest.
💡 Simply: Sometimes 'pipe' means to say something in a high, squeaky voice. Like when a kid complains with a high pitch!
👶 For kids: To pipe can mean to speak in a high, squeaky voice.
More Examples
The bird piped a sweet song from the tree.
She piped a question about the party.
How It's Used
"The child piped a complaint about bedtime."
"The robin piped its morning song."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
pipe dream
A hope or wish that is unrealistic or unlikely to come true.
"His plans for building a rocket ship were just a pipe dream."
put that in your pipe and smoke it
An expression used to tell someone to take note of or consider what has been said, often used sarcastically or as a challenge.
"I told him he was wrong, and said, 'Put that in your pipe and smoke it!'"
From Old English *pīpe* (related to Old High German *pīfa* and Latin *pīpāre*), referring to a tube or a wind instrument. The association with tobacco likely emerged later, as did the verb forms.
Historically, the word 'pipe' has been used for various tubes, from musical instruments to conduits for liquids and gases. Its association with smoking tobacco is a later development.