- 1[countable] a long hollow pipe made of metal, plastic, rubber, etc., through which liquids or gases move from one place to another see cathode ray tube, inner tube, test tube
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- 2[countable] a hollow object in the shape of a pipe or tube a bike's inner tube the cardboard tube from the center of a toilet roll
- 3[countable] tube (of something) 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[countable] a part inside the body that is shaped like a tube and through which air, liquid, etc. passes bronchial tubes The esophagus is the tube leading from the throat to the stomach. see fallopian tube television
- 5the tube [singular] (informal) the television in ear
- 6[countable] a small tube placed in a child's ear in order to drain liquid from it Idioms
pipe
(of a plan, company, situation, etc.) to fail The education system is going down the tubes.
Check pronunciation: tube