Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Pipe?

\Pipe\, n. [AS. p[=i]pe, probably fr. L. pipare, pipire, to chirp; of imitative origin. Cf. {Peep}, {Pibroch}, {Fife}.] 1. A wind instrument of music, consisting of a tube or tubes of straw, reed, wood, or metal; any tube which produces musical sounds; as, a shepherd's pipe; the pipe of an organ. ``Tunable as sylvan pipe.'' --Milton. Now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe. --Shak. 2. Any long tube or hollow body of wood, metal, earthenware, or the like: especially, one used as a conductor of water, steam, gas, etc. 3. A small bowl with a hollow steam, -- used in smoking tobacco, and, sometimes, other substances. 4. A passageway for the air in speaking and breathing; the windpipe, or one of its divisions. 5. The key or sound of the voice. [R.] --Shak. 6. The peeping whistle, call, or note of a bird. The earliest pipe of half-awakened birds. --Tennyson. 7. pl. The bagpipe; as, the pipes of Lucknow. 8. (Mining) An elongated body or vein of ore. 9. A roll formerly used in the English exchequer, otherwise called the Great Roll, on which were taken down the accounts of debts to the king; -- so called because put together like a pipe. --Mozley & W. 10. (Naut.) A boatswain's whistle, used to call the crew to their duties; also, the sound of it. 11. [Cf. F. pipe, fr. pipe a wind instrument, a tube, fr. L. pipare to chirp. See Etymol. above.] A cask usually containing two hogsheads, or 126 wine gallons; also, the quantity which it contains. {Pipe fitter}, one who fits pipes together, or applies pipes, as to an engine or a building. {Pipe fitting}, a piece, as a coupling, an elbow, a valve, etc., used for connecting lengths of pipe or as accessory to a pipe. {Pipe office}, an ancient office in the Court of Exchequer, in which the clerk of the pipe made out leases of crown lands, accounts of cheriffs, etc. [Eng.] {Pipe tree} (Bot.), the lilac and the mock orange; -- so called because their were formerly used to make pipe stems; -- called also {pipe privet}. {Pipe wrench}, or {Pipetongs}, a jawed tool for gripping a pipe, in turning or holding it. {To smoke the pipe of peace}, to smoke from the same pipe in token of amity or preparatory to making a treaty of peace, -- a custom of the American Indians.
\Pipe\, v. i. 1. To play on a pipe, fife, flute, or other tubular wind instrument of music. We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced. --Matt. xi. 17. 2. (Naut.) To call, convey orders, etc., by means of signals on a pipe or whistle carried by a boatswain. 3. To emit or have a shrill sound like that of a pipe; to whistle. ``Oft in the piping shrouds.'' --Wordsworth. 4. (Metal.) To become hollow in the process of solodifying; -- said of an ingot, as of steel.
\Pipe\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Piped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Piping}.] 1. To perform, as a tune, by playing on a pipe, flute, fife, etc.; to utter in the shrill tone of a pipe. A robin . . . was piping a few querulous notes. --W. Irving. 2. (Naut.) To call or direct, as a crew, by the boatswain's whistle. As fine a ship's company as was ever piped aloft. --Marryat. 3. To furnish or equip with pipes; as, to pipe an engine, or a building.
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