tube 
/ˈtu:b, Brit ˈtju:b/ noun
plural tubes /ˈtu:b, Brit ˈtju:b/ noun 1 [count] a : a long, hollow object that is used especially to control the flow of a liquid or gas
▪ She was breathing oxygen through a tube. ▪ The nurse inserted a feeding tube. [=a tube used to deliver food to the stomach of a patient who cannot eat]
b : an object shaped like a pipe
▪ a tube of lipstick ▪ a cardboard tube — see also inner tube, test tube, vacuum tube 2 [count] : a soft, long, narrow container that has a small opening at one end and that contains a soft material which can be pushed out by squeezing
▪ a tube of paint/toothpaste 3 [count] : a thin, long, hollow part within an animal or plant
▪ the bronchial tubes ▪ a pollen tube 4 the tube US, informal : the television
▪ They spent all afternoon sitting in front of the tube. [=(Brit) the box] ▪ What's on the tube tonight? — see also boob tube, cathode-ray tube 5 [noncount] Brit : the system of trains that run underground in London
▪ It's easy to get around London on the tube. ▪ There's a tube station a couple of blocks away from here. ▪ She travels by tube to work every day.
▪ She was breathing oxygen through a tube. ▪ The nurse inserted a feeding tube. [=a tube used to deliver food to the stomach of a patient who cannot eat]
b : an object shaped like a pipe
▪ a tube of lipstick ▪ a cardboard tube — see also inner tube, test tube, vacuum tube
▪ a tube of paint/toothpaste
▪ the bronchial tubes ▪ a pollen tube
▪ They spent all afternoon sitting in front of the tube. [=(Brit) the box] ▪ What's on the tube tonight? — see also boob tube, cathode-ray tube
▪ It's easy to get around London on the tube. ▪ There's a tube station a couple of blocks away from here. ▪ She travels by tube to work every day.
go down the tubes
informal 1 : to fail or become ruined
▪ His health is going down the tubes. 2 : to be wasted or lost
▪ All my hard work went down the tubes. [=went down the drain]
▪ His health is going down the tubes.
▪ All my hard work went down the tubes. [=went down the drain]
— tube·like /ˈtu:bˌlaɪk, Brit ˈtju:bˌlaɪk/ adjective
▪ The plant produces tubelike flowers.
/ˈtu:bˌlaɪk, Brit ˈtju:bˌlaɪk/ adjective ▪ The plant produces tubelike flowers.
