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tube

n. · v.
US //ˈtjub// UK //tjˈuːb// tube
  1. 1 hollow cylinder (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a long, hollow object shaped like a pipe, used to carry liquids or gases.

    a hollow, cylindrical object or conduit used for the conveyance of fluids or as a structural component.

    Example

    Water flows through a small plastic tube into the fish tank.

    Example

    The laboratory technician replaced the glass tube after noticing a hairline fracture that could compromise the vacuum seal during the experiment.
  2. 2 soft container (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a soft container with a cap that you squeeze to get things like toothpaste or paint out.

    a collapsible cylindrical container, typically made of metal or plastic, with a sealed end and a screw-top nozzle.

    Example

    He squeezed the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.

    Example

    The artist purchased a large tube of cobalt blue pigment, preferring the economy of bulk supplies for her landscape series.
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  1. 3 London Underground (n.)
    B1 Intermediate British English Informal

    the underground train system in London.

    the rapid transit system serving Greater London, specifically referring to the deep-level lines.

    Example

    It is often faster to take the Tube than to drive through central London.

    Example

    Commuters often complain about the lack of air conditioning on the deeper lines of the Tube during the peak of summer.

    Usage

    Usually used with the definite article 'the'.
  2. 4 television (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Informal

    an informal word for a television.

    a television set, derived from the cathode-ray tubes used in older models.

    Example

    There is nothing good on the tube tonight, so let's read instead.

    Example

    Before the advent of flat-screen technology, the tube was the undisputed centerpiece of the American living room.
  3. 5 an idiot (n.)
    C1 Advanced Dialect Slang

    a person who is stupid or annoying.

    a person perceived as foolish or incompetent.

    Example

    Don't be such a tube; you know that's not how you fix it.

    Example

    He felt like a total tube after realizing he had been arguing against his own interests for the entire meeting.

    Teacher's tip

    Common in Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland; it is insulting but often used among friends in a teasing way.
  4. 6 medical pipe (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Medicine

    a small pipe used in a hospital to give a patient medicine or help them breathe.

    a flexible pipe inserted into a patient's body for the administration of fluids, medication, or oxygen.

    Example

    The patient had a feeding tube inserted to help him get enough nutrients.

    Example

    The surgical team carefully monitored the drainage tube to ensure there was no internal hemorrhaging following the procedure.
  5. 7 to intubate (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Technical Medicine

    to put a tube into a person's body for medical reasons.

    to insert a tube into a patient, especially into the trachea to assist breathing.

    Example

    The paramedics had to tube the driver at the scene of the accident.

    Example

    The emergency room physician decided to tube the patient immediately when his oxygen saturation levels began to plummet.

    Usage

    Often used as a transitive verb in clinical settings.
    • intubate
Origin

From Middle French tube, from Latin tubus (“tube, pipe”), related to tuba (“long trumpet; war-trumpet”), of obscure ultimate origin, but possibly connected to tībia (“shinbone, reed-pipe”); see there. Doublet of tubus.

Word family
Idioms3 entries

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