plural pipes
1
a
: a tubular wind instrument
specifically
: a small fipple flute held in and played by the left hand
c
: bagpipe
—usually used in plural
d(1)
pipes
: vocal cords, voice
… the actress famously showed off her pipes with the emotional ballad "There Are Worse Things I Could Do."—
Sophie Dodd
Sophie Dodda singer with a great set of pipes
(2)
2
a
: a long tube or hollow body for conducting a liquid, gas, or finely divided solid or for structural purposes
b
: a means of transmission (as of television signals or computer data)
a broadband fiber-optic pipe
3
a
: a tubular or cylindrical object, part, or passage
b
: a roughly cylindrical and vertical geologic formation
c
: the eruptive channel opening into the crater of a volcano
4
a
: a large cask of varying capacity used especially for wine and oil
b
: any of various units of liquid capacity based on the size of a pipe
especially
: a unit equal to two hogsheads
5
: a device for smoking usually consisting of a tube having a bowl at one end and a mouthpiece at the other
6
piped; piping
1
a
: to play on a pipe
b
: to convey orders by signals on a boatswain's pipe
2
a
: to speak in a high or shrill voice
b
: to emit a shrill sound
1
a
: to play (a tune) on a pipe
b
: to utter in the shrill tone of a pipe
2
a
: to lead or cause to go with pipe music
b(1)
: to call or direct by the boatswain's pipe
(2)
: to receive aboard or attend the departure of by sounding a boatswain's pipe
3
: to trim with piping
4
: to place (batter, frosting, etc.) on a surface by pressing or squeezing through a bag or tube fitted with a special nozzle
Pipe frosting over each frozen ice cream mound to cover.—Emily Young
Emily Young
also
: to create (a decoration or pattern) by this method
Pipe a rosette of whipped cream on top. —Elizabeth Craig
Elizabeth Craig 5
: to furnish or equip with pipes
6
: to convey by or as if by pipes
especially
: to transmit by wire or coaxial cable
7
: notice
Synonyms
Examples of pipe in a Sentence
Noun
He has the pipes to sing on Broadway.
a singer with a fine set of pipes
Verb
The pipers piped while the drummers drummed.
The musician piped a tune.
Recent Examples on the Web
Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Now, a team of engineers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT) in Australia have invented a protective coating for concrete pipes that could help reduce the number of fatbergs that form in sewers.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
Andrew Greif, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Amusingly, the white stage smoke that was piped in was apparently a little thicker than anticipated, completely enveloping the three to the point where Feid stopped the first song mid-chorus.
—Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pipe 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
In back, a pipe is leaking, damaged when the wall supporting a heater was torn out.
—Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Now, a team of engineers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT) in Australia have invented a protective coating for concrete pipes that could help reduce the number of fatbergs that form in sewers.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
Verb
Unlike many professional sports stadiums that pipe audio of the game broadcast into restroom speakers, Intuit Dome, the brand-new home of the Los Angeles Clippers, plays a different soundtrack for fans using its more than 1,100 touchless toilets and urinals: pop music.
—Andrew Greif, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Amusingly, the white stage smoke that was piped in was apparently a little thicker than anticipated, completely enveloping the three to the point where Feid stopped the first song mid-chorus.
—Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pipe
Articles Related to pipe
Dictionary Entries Near pipe
Cite this Entry
“Pipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pipe. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pipe
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a musical instrument consisting of a tube of reed, wood, or metal that is played by blowing
b
: one of the tubes of a pipe organ
c
: bagpipe
—usually used in plural
d
: the whistle, call, or note especially of a bird or an insect
2
: a long tube or hollow body for carrying a substance (as water, steam, or gas)
3
: a tube with a small bowl at one end used for smoking tobacco
4
: a large barrel used especially to hold oil or wine
pipe
2 of 2 verb
piped; piping
1
a
: to play on a pipe
b
: to receive on board or signal the departure of by the sounding of a boatswain's pipe
2
: to speak, call, or play with a high shrill tone
3
: to furnish or trim with piping
4
: to carry by or as if by pipes
pipe water
piper
noun
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