tube
pronunciation
How to pronounce tube in British English:
UK [tjuːb]
How to pronounce tube in American English:
US [tuːb]
-
- Noun:
- conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases
- electronic device consisting of a system of electrodes arranged in an evacuated glass or metal envelope
- a hollow cylindrical shape
- (anatomy) any hollow cylindrical body structure
- electric underground railway
-
- Verb:
- provide with a tube or insert a tube into
- convey in a tube
- ride or float on an inflated tube
- place or enclose in a tube
Word Origin
- tube
- tube: [17] The ultimate origins of tube are unclear. It comes, probably via French tube, from Latin tubus ‘tube’. This was closely related to tuba ‘war trumpet’, source of English tuba [19], but what their joint ancestor might be is not known.=> tuba
- tube (n.)
- 1610s, from Middle French tube (15c.), from Latin tubus "tube, pipe," of unknown origin. The London subway was christened the Twopenny Tube (H.D. Browne, in the "Londoner" of June 30, 1900) before it even opened; tube for "cylindrical railway tunnel" is attested from 1847. The meaning "TV as a medium" is from 1959, short for cathode ray tube or picture tube. Tube top as a women's clothing style is attested from 1972. Tube steak is attested from 1963 as "frankfurter," slang meaning "penis" is recorded by mid-1980s.
Example
- 1. In april 2001 , her feeding tube was removed .
- 2. Is trimming the tube the right decision ?
- 3. The shower is a vertical tube by the front door .
- 4. So go ahead and keep the boob tube on while you rationalize it away .
- 5. A computer tube can hold a lot more gasoline than a lightbulb .