noun
tube
toob
noun
1
A hollow cylinder used to carry liquid, gas, or other material.
"She squeezed the last of the toothpaste from the tube."
"A rubber tube connected the pump to the tyre valve."
2
(informal, chiefly British) The London Underground railway system.
"We'll take the tube — it's quicker than a taxi at this time of day."
verb
1
To fit or enclose something in a tube, or to float down a river on an inflated inner tube for fun.
"They spent the afternoon tubing down the lazy river behind the campsite."
How to Use Tube
Learner’s notes
UK vs US
"The tube" for the London Underground is a British usage; it would not be understood that way in the US.
Common pairings
inner tube
test tube
take the tube
Word Forms
tubed past tense, tubes singular
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Etymology
From French tube, from Latin tubus ("pipe"), a relative of tuba ("trumpet") — both probably going back to a very old word for a hollow reed or pipe.