See Also: PIPE, Eng(law)
pipe(4)(dictionary)
pipe(3)(dictionary)
pipe(2)(dictionary)
pipe(1)(dictionary)
pan-pipe(dictionary)
pipe(medicine)
Pipe - Ice Hockey(gambling)
uillean pipe(dictionary)
union pipe(dictionary)

pipe(4) (iou)



pipe verb1. OE.
[Latin pipare in medieval Latin sense 'blow a pipe', from pipa PIPE noun1, reinforced in Middle English by Old French piper chirp, squeak from Latin pipare. In branch III directly from PIPE noun1.]
I.
verb intrans. Play on or blow a pipe or pipes; play shrill plaintive music. OE.
J. Thomson The Shepherd..Sits piping to his Flocks.
verb trans. Play (music or a tune) on a pipe or pipes. LME.
Keats Happy melodist, unwearied, For ever piping songs for ever new.
verb trans. Bring or lead (a person or thing) into a place or condition by playing a pipe. M16.
Browning They pipe us free from rats or mice.
b. Nautical. Summon (a crew) to a meal, duty, etc., by a boatswain's pipe; signal or mark the arrival of (an officer etc.) by playing a pipe or pipes. Foll. by adverb. E18.
Times The Duke was piped on board.
II.
verb intrans.
a. Utter a shrill weak sound; talk or sing weakly and shrilly; cheep, squeak, peep. ME-L15.
b. Make a high-pitched clear sound, whistle; talk or sing loudly and shrilly; (of a bird) sing. E16.
Daily Telegraph The wind piping in the rigging.
c. Weep, cry. Also (orig. Nautical) pipe one's eye(s), pipe the eye(s). slang. L18.
verb trans. Utter or sing (words, a song, etc.) in a weak and shrill or a clear and high-pitched voice. LME.
T. H. White The curlew..had been piping their mournful plaints. A. Guinness 'Ah, beauty! Beauty!' piped Eddie Marsh, whose voice was..astonishingly high.
verb intrans. Breathe hard, pant from exertion. slang. E19.
III. verb trans. Drink (a liquid). rare. Only in L16.
verb intrans. Flow or be conveyed as through a pipe. rare. Only in M17.
verb intrans. Smoke a pipe. N. Amer. colloq. M17.
verb trans. Horticulture. Propagate (a pink etc.) by taking a cutting at a joint of the stem. L18.
verb trans.
a. Trim or ornament (a garment etc.) with piping. Usu. in pass. M19.
b. Arrange (icing, cream, etc.) in decorative lines or twists on a cake etc.; ornament (a cake etc.) in this way. L19.
verb trans. & intrans. Watch, notice, look (at); follow or observe (a person), esp. stealthily. Also foll. by off. slang & dial. M19.
verb trans. Provide or supply (a place) with pipes for gas, water, etc. L19.
verb trans. Convey (water, gas, etc.) through or by means of pipes. L19.
b. Transmit (music, television signals, etc.) over wire or cable. M20.
With adverbs in specialized senses, & phrases: pipe away Nautical dismiss (a crew) from duty by piping; give a signal for (a boat) to start. pipe down (a) verb phr. trans. & intrans. (Nautical) dismiss (a crew) from duty by piping; (b) verb phr. intrans. (colloq.) stop talking, be quiet or less insistent (freq. in. imper.). pipe in bring or welcome (a person or thing) in to the accompaniment of bagpipes. pipe one's eye(s), pipe the eye(s): see sense 4c above. pipe the side Nautical pipe a salute given to certain officers and dignitaries when boarding or leaving a ship. pipe up (a) verb phr. trans. strike up (music); (b) verb phr. intrans. make an interjection, speak up (in a piping voice); (of a wind) rise, increase.
Comb.: pipe-down Nautical the action or time of piping down a crew; a call on the boatswain's pipe signalling sailors to retire for the night.