VOOZH about

URL: https://www.wordreference.com/definition/tube

⇱ tube - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

tube

Listen:
UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈtjuːb/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/tub, tjub/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(to̅o̅b, tyo̅o̅b)

Inflections of 'tube' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
tubes
v 3rd person singular
tubing
v pres p
tubed
v past
tubed
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
tube /tub, tyub/USA pronunciation   n., v., tubed, tub•ing. 
n. [countable]
  1. a hollow, rounded, narrow piece of metal, glass, etc., used esp. for carrying liquids or gases:a short rubber tube.
  2. a small collapsible cylinder sealed at one end, with a capped opening at the other end, from which a substance, as toothpaste, may be squeezed.
  3. Anatomy, Zoologyany hollow, rounded, narrow vessel or organ in the body:the bronchial tubes.
  4. Electronicselectron tube.
  5. Informal Terms the tube, [singular]television:What's on the tube tonight?
  6. Clothinga rounded, narrow piece of clothing without sleeves, pockets, or closures, usually of stretch fabric, worn as a blouse, skirt, etc.
  7. Transportthe tunnel in which an underground railroad runs.
  8. British Termssubway (def. 1).

v. [no object]
  1. to float down a river on an inner tube.
Idioms
  1. Idioms down the tube(s), into a state of failure or collapse:All his efforts went down the tube when the company went bankrupt.

tube•less, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
tube  (to̅o̅b, tyo̅o̅b),USA pronunciation n., v., tubed, tub•ing. 
n. 
  1. a hollow, usually cylindrical body of metal, glass, rubber, or other material, used esp. for conveying or containing liquids or gases.
  2. a small, collapsible, cylinder of metal or plastic sealed at one end and having a capped opening at the other from which paint, toothpaste, or some other semifluid substance may be squeezed.
  3. Anatomy, Zoologyany hollow, cylindrical vessel or organ:the bronchial tubes.
  4. [Bot.]
    • Botanyany hollow, elongated body or part.
    • Botanythe united lower portion of a gamopetalous corolla or a gamosepalous calyx.
  5. See inner tube. 
  6. ElectronicsSee electron tube. 
  7. Informal Terms
    • television.
    • a television set.
  8. See mailing tube. 
  9. Transportthe tubular tunnel in which an underground railroad runs.
  10. Transportthe railroad itself.
  11. Sport[Surfing Slang.]the curled hollow formed on the underside of a cresting wave.
  12. British Termssubway (def. 1).
  13. British Terms[Australian Slang.]a can of beer.
  14. Optics, Slang Terms[Older Slang.]a telescope.
  15. down the tube or tubes, [Informal.]into a ruined, wasted, or abandoned state or condition.

v.t. 
  1. to furnish with a tube or tubes.
  2. to convey or enclose in a tube.
  3. to form into the shape of a tube;
    make tubular.
  • Latin tubus pipe
  • 1590–1600
tube′less, adj. 
tube′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
tube /tjuːb/ n
  1. a long hollow and typically cylindrical object, used for the passage of fluids or as a container
  2. a collapsible cylindrical container of soft metal or plastic closed with a cap, used to hold viscous liquids or pastes
  3. any hollow cylindrical structure
  4. any other hollow structure in a plant
  5. the tube ⇒ Brit
    • Also called: the underground an underground railway systemUS and Canadian equivalent: subway
    • the tunnels through which the railway runs
  6. the tube ⇒ slang a television set
  7. Brit derogatory slang a foolish or despicable person
  8. Austral slang a bottle or can of beer
  9. the cylindrical passage formed when a wave breaks and the crest tips forward
 vb (transitive)
  1. to fit or supply with a tube or tubes
  2. to carry or convey in a tube
  3. to shape like a tube
Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin tubusˈtubeless adj
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sub•way /ˈsʌbˌweɪ/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. Transport, British Termsan underground electric railroad: [countable]no delays this morning on the subways. [uncountable;
    by + ~]    to travel by subway.
  2. British Terms[countable][Chiefly Brit.]a short tunnel or underground passageway;
    underpass.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
sub•way  (sub′wā′),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Transport, British TermsAlso called,[esp. Brit.,] tube, underground. an underground electric railroad, usually in a large city.
  2. British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]a short tunnel or underground passageway for pedestrians, automobiles, etc.;
    underpass.

v.i. 
  1. Transportto be transported by a subway:We subwayed uptown.
  • sub- + way1 1820–30

'tube' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: is tube shaped, test tubes and beakers, roll the [paper, poster, map] into a tube, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "tube" in the title:

...his mother has had to tube-feed him.
(THE) London tube is faster than Berlin Underground.
A dozen idiots <tore ass up> the tube.
a man who patches up a rubber tube/punctured tyre
a packet / tube of mints
a Tube / an Underground
Antonym of 'open a tube of toothpaste'
At each end of the tube …......, one which gathers light and one which magnifies the image.
attached a tube to the exhaust pipe
Boob tube
brass tube
by passing a tube
check out to watch the tube
copper tube BS EN 1057 TYPE X
crooked tube
draw blood into the tube
Gas tube
gauge tube
Get out of a tube
Go to You Tube?
He only works one tube stop away
He squeezed me like a toothpaste tube, I said crestfallen.
How much does the bus/train/tube cost?
Like 'a handle or a crooked tube', the narrator comments, a human being 'has no meaning standing apart'
make videos on You Tube / make You Tube videos
Much better than on the tube?
origin of "you tube" [YouTube]
outside the Tube Stop
pipe and tube making
Pipe, tube or spout
more...

Look up "tube" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "tube" at dictionary.com
  • Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.

In other languages: Spanish | French | Italian | Portuguese | Romanian | German | Dutch | Swedish | Russian | Polish | Czech | Greek | Turkish | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | Arabic

Advertisements
Advertisements
Report an inappropriate ad.
WordReference.com
WORD OF THE DAY
GET THE DAILY EMAIL!
Become a WordReference Supporter to view the site ad-free.
Firefox users: use search shortcuts for the fastest search of WordReference.
Copyright © 2026 WordReference.com
Please report any problems.