Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - pipe

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pipa (akin to Old High German pfifa ~), from Vulgar Latin *pipa ~, from Latin pipare to peep, of imitative origin  Date: before 12th century  1.  a. a tubular wind instrument; specifically a small fipple flute held in and played by the left hand  b. one of the tubes of a ~ organ:  (1) flue ~  (2) reed ~  c. bag~ — usually used in plural  d.  (1) voice, vocal cord — usually used in plural  (2) piping 1  2.  a. a long tube or hollow body for conducting a liquid, gas, or finely divided solid or for structural purposes  b. a means of transmission (as of television signals or computer data) a broadband fiber-optic ~  3.  a. a tubular or cylindrical object, part, or passage  b. a roughly cylindrical and vertical geological formation  c. the eruptive channel opening into the crater of a volcano  4.  a. a large cask of varying capacity used especially for wine and oil  b. any of various units of liquid capacity based on the size of a ~; especially a unit equal to two hogsheads  5. a device for smoking usually consisting of a tube having a bowl at one end and a mouthpiece at the other  6. snap 2c, cinch  • ~ful noun  • ~less adjective  • ~like adjective  II. verb  (~d; piping)  Date: before 12th century  intransitive verb  1.  a. to play on a ~  b. to convey orders by signals on a boatswain's ~  2.  a. to speak in a high or shrill voice  b. to emit a shrill sound  transitive verb  1.  a. to play (a tune) on a ~  b. to utter in the shrill tone of a ~  2.  a. to lead or cause to go with ~ music  b.  (1) to call or direct by the boatswain's ~  (2) to receive aboard or attend the departure of by sounding a boatswain's ~  3. to trim with piping  4. to furnish or equip with ~s  5. to convey by or as if by ~s; especially to transmit by wire or coaxial cable  6. notice