tube

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

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

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

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

“The artist purchased a large tube of cobalt blue pigment, preferring the economy of bulk supplies for her landscape series.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun British English · Informal

n. the underground train system in London.

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

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

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

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun American English · Informal

n. an informal word for a television.

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

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

“Before the advent of flat-screen technology, the tube was the undisputed centerpiece of the American living room.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Dialect · Slang

n. a person who is stupid or annoying.

n. a person perceived as foolish or incompetent.

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

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

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Medicine Technical

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

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

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

“The surgical team carefully monitored the drainage tube to ensure there was no internal hemorrhaging following the procedure.”

C1 · Advanced Medicine Informal · Technical

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

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

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

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