What does "tubes" mean?

1. (hollow pipes) more than one long, hollow object used to hold or move things like liquids or air. 2. (the internet) a funny or informal way to talk about the internet. 3. (fallopian tubes) a common way to refer to the parts of a woman's body that carry eggs to the womb.

tubes

US //ˈtubz// UK //tjˈuːbz// tubes

1 hollow pipes (n.)
A2 Elementary

more than one long, hollow object used to hold or move things like liquids or air.

plural form of tube; multiple cylindrical objects used for the conveyance of fluids or as structural components.

Example

The mechanic replaced the old rubber tubes under the car's hood.

Example

The laboratory was filled with glass tubes of various sizes, each containing a different chemical solution for the afternoon's experiments.
2 the internet (n.)
C1 Advanced Informal Humorous Slang Computing

a funny or informal way to talk about the internet.

a humorous, often slightly derisive term for the internet, popularized by the phrase 'series of tubes'.

Example

I spent all night reading strange stories on the tubes.

Example

The politician's clumsy description of the internet as a 'series of tubes' became an enduring meme among tech-savvy voters.

Teacher's tip

This is a dated internet meme; it is rarely used seriously and usually implies the speaker is joking about a lack of technical knowledge.
3 fallopian tubes (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Medicine

a common way to refer to the parts of a woman's body that carry eggs to the womb.

informal shorthand for the fallopian tubes; frequently used in the context of surgical sterilization.

Example

She decided to have her tubes tied after her third child was born.

Example

The patient requested information regarding the permanent closure of her tubes as a method of long-term contraception.
- fallopian tubes

Idioms1 entry

01
go down the tubes
Synonym of go down the toilet: to fail; to degenerate rapidly.

Last updated June 20, 2026