tube

Universal Words noun pipe 1 [C] a long hollow pipe made of metal, plastic, rubber, etc., through which liquids or gases move from one place to another seealsoCATHODERAYTUBE, INNERTUBE, TESTTUBE 2 [C] a hollow object in the shape of a pipe or tube: a bike's inner tube * the cardboard tube from the centre of a toilet roll container 3 [C] ~ (of sth) a long narrow container made of soft metal or plastic, with a lid, used for holding thick liquids that can be squeezed out of it: a tube of toothpaste part of body 4 [C] a part inside the body that is shaped like a tube and through which air, liquid, etc. passes: bronchial tubes * The oesophagus is the tube leading from the throat to the stomach. seealsoFALLOPIANTUBES underground railway 5 (the tube) [sing.] (BrE) the underground railway system in London: a tube station / train * We came by tube. * She caught the wrong tube (= tube train). -< UNDERGROUND television 6 (the tube) [sing.] (AmE, informal) the television in ear 7 [C] (AmE) = GROMMET IDIOMS go down the tube / tubes (informal) (of a plan, company, situation, etc.) to fail: The education system is going down the tubes.