noun
drainpipe
DRAYN-pyp
Drainpipe (noun) means a pipe that carries away rainwater or waste liquid, often running down the side of a building. Example: “Water gushed out of the drainpipe during the storm.”
noun
1
A pipe that carries away rainwater or waste liquid, often running down the side of a building.
"There was a black drainpipe running the entire height of the hotel wall alongside her balcony and I managed to pull myself onto it, gripping the rough, rusty metal as firmly as I could."
— David P. Perlmutter, Wrong Place Wrong Time (2013)
"He unlatched the window and stuck his head out — there was a drainpipe a couple of feet to the left but his room was on the second floor and it was too dark to tell whether the garden below was grass, soil, or paving."
— Jan-Andrew Henderson, Secret City (2004)
"Water gushed out of the drainpipe during the storm."
"We said earlier that we normally use a curved or bent piece of pipe at the top of the drainpipe where it is connected to the gutter, and a fitting at the bottom end of the drainpipe that directs the water into a channel or a drain or gully."
— Peter Lague, FCS Construction Plumbing L3 (2007)
2
(Informal, British, often plural "drainpipes") Trousers with very narrow, tapered legs.
"He wore black drainpipes with his leather jacket."
How to use drainpipe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a pipe for carrying away water, or (informally) skinny-fit trousers.
When to use it
The trouser sense ("drainpipes") is informal British slang.
Common pairings
downspout drainpipe
drainpipe jeans
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Word forms
- Plural
- drainpipes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Water gushed out of the _____ during the storm.
Etymology
From drain + pipe.
Synonyms
View more →
drain
waste pipe
Related words
Rhymes for drainpipe
See all rhymes for drainpipe →Frequently asked questions
What does “drainpipe” mean?
The word “drainpipe” means a pipe that carries away rainwater or waste liquid, often running down the side of a building. In plain terms, either a pipe for carrying away water, or (informally) skinny-fit trousers.
How do you pronounce “drainpipe”?
“Drainpipe” is pronounced DRAYN-pyp (/ˈdɹeɪnˌpaɪp/ in IPA).
How do you use “drainpipe” in a sentence?
Here is “drainpipe” used in a sentence: “Water gushed out of the drainpipe during the storm.”
What part of speech is “drainpipe”?
“Drainpipe” is a noun.
How many meanings does “drainpipe” have?
“Drainpipe” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a pipe that carries away rainwater or waste liquid, often running down the side of a building.
