# tube

/ˈtjub/ (US) · /tjˈuːb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tube
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. hollow cylinder

noun · CEFR A2

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

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

- Water flows through a small plastic tube into the fish tank.
- The laboratory technician replaced the glass tube after noticing a hairline fracture that could compromise the vacuum seal during the experiment.

### 2. soft container

noun · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. London Underground

noun · CEFR B1 · British English · Informal

the underground train system in London.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Usually used with the definite article 'the'.

### 4. television

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Informal

an informal word for a television.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. an idiot

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect · Slang

a person who is stupid or annoying.

For teachers: 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.

Teaching tip: Common in Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland; it is insulting but often used among friends in a teasing way.

### 6. medical pipe

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

### 7. to intubate

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often used as a transitive verb in clinical settings.

## Examples

- The artist squeezes blue paint from the tube.
- The doctor inserted a thin tube into the patient's arm to provide necessary fluids.
- Engineers designed a reinforced steel tube to withstand the immense pressure of the deep-sea environment while transporting natural gas to the surface.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.