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View synonyms for

pipeline

[pahyp-lahyn]

noun

  1. a long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport crude oil, natural gas, water, etc., especially over great distances.

  2. a route, channel, or process along which something passes or is provided at a steady rate; means, system, or flow of supply or supplies.

    Freighters and cargo planes are a pipeline for overseas goods.

  3. a channel of information, especially one that is direct, privileged, or confidential; inside source; reliable contact.



verb (used with object)

pipelined, pipelining 
  1. to convey by or as if by pipeline.

    to pipeline oil from the far north to ice-free ports; to pipeline graduates into the top jobs.

pipeline

/ ˈ貹ɪˌɪ /

noun

  1. a long pipe, esp underground, used to transport oil, natural gas, etc, over long distances

  2. a medium of communication, esp a private one

  3. in the process of being completed, delivered, or produced

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to convey by pipeline

  2. to supply with a pipeline

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of pipeline1

First recorded in 1855–60; pipe 1 + line 1
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. in the pipeline,

    1. Informal. in the process of being developed, provided, or completed; in the works; under way.

    2. Government Informal. (of funds) authorized but not spent.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Meanwhile, as the pipeline at the former Grangemouth oil refinery runs dry as production ends there was some good news.

From

And there are plenty of other foreign nationals in the pipeline.

From

As well as Big Man, Stormzy also announced other film projects in the pipeline.

From

No sites would be approved close to airports, military sites or pipelines.

From

“It has put the issue of gun trafficking — and the industry’s role in facilitating the gun pipeline — on the bilateral and international agenda,” said Lowy, who was co-counsel in Mexico’s lawsuit.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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