Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: French
Origin: Latin tubus

tube

1 noun
     
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tube1 S3 W3
1

pipe for liquid

[countable]TD a round pipe made of metal, glass, rubber etc, especially for liquids or gases to go through ➔ inner tube, test tube
2 [countable] a long hollow object that is usually round:
pasta tubes
a toilet roll tube
3

container

[countable]DT a narrow container made of plastic or soft metal and closed at one end, that you press between your fingers in order to push out the soft substance that is inside:
a tube of toothpaste
4

in your body

[countable]HB a tube-shaped part inside your body:
the bronchial tubes
5

trains

the tube

British EnglishTTT the system of trains that run under the ground in London [= subway American English]
take/catch the tube
Take the tube to Acton.
a tube station
by tube
It's best to travel by tube.
6

go down the tubes

informal if a situation goes down the tubes, it quickly becomes ruined or spoiled:
When Moira turned up, Tess could see all her good work going down the tubes.
7

television

the tube

American English spoken the television:
What's on the tube tonight?
8

electrical equipment

[countable] technicalAMT the part of a television that produces the picture on the screen [= cathode ray tube]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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