# tubes

/ˈtubz/ (US) · /tjˈuːbz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tubes
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. hollow pipes

noun · CEFR A2

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

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

- The mechanic replaced the old rubber tubes under the car's hood.
- The laboratory was filled with glass tubes of various sizes, each containing a different chemical solution for the afternoon's experiments.

### 2. the internet

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Humorous · Slang

a funny or informal way to talk about the internet.

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

- I spent all night reading strange stories on the tubes.
- The politician's clumsy description of the internet as a 'series of tubes' became an enduring meme among tech-savvy voters.

Teaching 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

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

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

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

- She decided to have her tubes tied after her third child was born.
- The patient requested information regarding the permanent closure of her tubes as a method of long-term contraception.

## Examples

- I am waiting for the video to travel through the tubes.
- The website is down because there must be a clog in the tubes today.
- While the metaphor of the internet as a series of tubes originated as a political gaffe, it has since been reclaimed by netizens as a staple of online irony.

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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.