pipe



between the pipes

In ice hockey, field hockey, or lacrosse, playing the position of goalkeeper. The word "pipes" refers to the pipe-like bars that make up the frame of the goal. It should be a great game—I hear the new goalie is a demon between the pipes. Remember, when you're between the pipes, you are the last line of defense!
See also: pipe

lay the pipe

vulgar slang To have sexual intercourse (with someone, usually a woman). (Typically said of or by a man.) Teenage boys often have an obsessive preoccupation with laying the pipe as soon as possible, which is reinforced by peer pressure from their male friends or schoolmates.
See also: lay, pipe

smoke the peace pipe (with someone)

To reach an agreement or understanding (with someone); to resolve a dispute or stop fighting (with someone). Alludes to the calumet used by certain Native American tribes for ceremonial purposes, such as a covenant or peace treaty. In a surprise turn of events, it seems that the environmentalist group is looking to smoke the peace pipe with the largest lobbying body of the oil industry. I don't understand why there has been so much tension between you. You need to both sit down like rational adults, smoke the peace pipe together, and get on with your lives.
See also: peace, pipe, smoke

pipe dream

A dream or idea that is impossible to accomplish. Many say that achieving world peace is a pipe dream because human beings are so flawed in their logic and emotions.
See also: dream, pipe

be in the pipeline

To be in progress. Don't worry, your raise is in the pipeline for next quarter. I hear some big changes are in the pipeline.
See also: pipeline

lead-pipe cinch

Fig. something very easy to do; something entirely certain to happen. I knew it was a lead-pie cinch that I would be selected to head the publication committee.
See also: cinch

pipe down

to become quiet; to cease making noise; to shut up. (Especially as a rude command.) Pipe down! I'm trying to sleep. Come on! Pipe down and get back to work!
See also: down, pipe

pipe dream

Fig. a wish or an idea that is impossible to achieve or carry out. (From the dreams or visions induced by the smoking of an opium pipe.) Going to the West Indies is a pipe dream. We'll never have enough money. Your hopes of winning a lot of money are just a silly pipe dream.
See also: dream, pipe

pipe something away

to conduct a liquid or a gas away through a pipe. We will have to pipe the excess water away. They piped away the water.
See also: away, pipe

pipe something (from some place) (to some place)

to conduct a liquid or a gas from one place to another place through a pipe. One oil company wanted to pipe oil all the way from northern Alaska to a southern port on the Pacific. The company pipes gas from the storage tanks in the middle of the state.

pipe something into some place

 and pipe something in 
1. Lit. to conduct a liquid or a gas into some place through a pipe. An excellent delivery system piped oxygen into every hospital room. They piped in oxygen to every room. They piped it in.
2. Fig. to bring music or other sound into a place over wires. They piped music into the stairways and elevators. The elevators were nice except that the management had piped in music.
See also: pipe, place

pipe up (with something)

Fig. to interject a comment; to interrupt with a comment. Nick piped up with an interesting thought. You can always count on Alice to pipe up.
See also: pipe, up

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Fig. Inf. See how you like that!; It is final, and you have to live with it. Well, I'm not going to do what you want, so put that in your pipe and smoke it! I'm sick of you, and I'm leaving. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
See also: and, pipe, put, smoke

set of pipes

Fig. a very loud voice; a good singing voice. She has a nice set of pipes. With a set of pipes like that, she's a winner.
See also: of, pipe, set

pipe up

to speak unexpectedly a€?I want to be the first female president!a€? piped up one of the little girls.
See also: pipe, up

a pipe dream

an idea that could never happen because it is impossible The classless society is just a pipe dream.
See also: dream, pipe

Put/stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

  (informal)
an impolite way of telling someone that they must accept what you have just said even if they do not like it Well, I'm going anyway, so put that in your pipe and smoke it!
See also: and, pipe, put, smoke

be in the pipeline

if a plan is in the pipeline, it is being developed and will happen in the future We have several major property deals in the pipeline.
See also: pipeline

lead-pipe cinch

A certainty, an assured success. For example, "An engagement ain't always a lead-pipe cinch" (O. Henry, The Sphinx Apple, 1907). This colloquial expression is of disputed origin. It may allude to the cinch that tightly holds a horse's saddle in place, which can make it easier for the rider to succeed in a race; or it may allude to a cinch in plumbing, in which a lead pipe is fastened with a band of steel to another pipe or a fixture, making a very secure joint. [Late 1800s]
See also: cinch

pipe down

Stop talking, be quiet, as in I wish you children would pipe down. This idiom is also used as an imperative, as in Pipe down! We want to listen to the opera. It comes from the navy, where the signal for all hands to turn in was sometimes sounded on a whistle or pipe. By 1900 it had been transferred to more general use.
See also: down, pipe

pipe dream

A fantastic notion or vain hope, as in I'd love to have one home in the mountains and another at the seashore, but that's just a pipe dream . Alluding to the fantasies induced by smoking an opium pipe, this term has been used more loosely since the late 1800s.
See also: dream, pipe

pipe up

Speak up, as in Finally she piped up, "I think I've got the winning ticket," or Pipe up if you want more pancakes. This term originally referred to a high, piping tone. [Mid-1800s]
See also: pipe, up

put that in your pipe and smoke it

Take that information and give it some thought, as in I'm quitting at the end of the week-put that in your pipe and smoke it. This term alludes to the thoughtful appearance of many pipe smokers. [Colloquial; early 1800s]
See also: and, pipe, put, smoke

pipe down

v. Slang
To stop talking; become quiet: Pipe down—I'm trying to sleep!
See also: down, pipe

pipe up

v.
To join a conversation with an opinion, especially unexpectedly: You should have piped up if you didn't agree with us.
See also: pipe, up

hash pipe

n. a small pipe for smoking cannabis. (Drugs.) John kept a hash pipe on the shelf just for show.
See also: hash, pipe

pipe

n. an easy course in school. I don’t want a full load of pipes. I want to learn something.

pipe down

in. to become quiet; to cease making noise; to shut up. (Especially as a rude command.) Pipe down! I’m trying to sleep.
See also: down, pipe

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

exclam. Take that!; See how you like that! You are the one who made the error, and we all know it. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
See also: and, pipe, put, smoke

set of pipes

n. a very loud voice; a singing voice. With a set of pipes like that, she’s a winner.
See also: of, pipe, set

take the pipe

1. and take the gas pipe tv. to commit suicide. (Originally by inhaling gas.) The kid was dropping everything in sight and finally took the pipe.
2. tv. to fail to perform under pressure; to cave in. (From sense 1) Don’t take the pipe, man. Stick in there!
See also: pipe, take

take the gas pipe

verb
See also: gas, pipe, take

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Teresiate-RE-see-ahSwedish
CillÍN-Irish
EguzkiÑE-Basque
Ashok-Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Ulrikeuwl-REE-kəGerman
HajnaHAWY-nawHungarian