The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Tube \Tube\, n. [L. tubus; akin to tuba a trumpet: cf F. tube.]
1. A hollow cylinder, of any material, used for the
conveyance of fluids, and for various other purposes; a
pipe.
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2. A telescope. "Glazed optic tube." --Milton.
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3. A vessel in animal bodies or plants, which conveys a fluid
or other substance.
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4. (Bot.) The narrow, hollow part of a gamopetalous corolla.
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5. (Gun.) A priming tube, or friction primer. See under
Priming, and Friction.
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6. (Steam Boilers) A small pipe forming part of the boiler,
containing water and surrounded by flame or hot gases, or
else surrounded by water and forming a flue for the gases
to pass through.
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7. (Zool.)
(a) A more or less cylindrical, and often spiral, case
secreted or constructed by many annelids, crustaceans,
insects, and other animals, for protection or
concealment. See Illust. of Tubeworm.
(b) One of the siphons of a bivalve mollusk.
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8. (Elec. Railways) A tunnel for a tube railway; also
(Colloq.), a tube railway; a subway. [Chiefly Eng.]
Note: In the New York area, the subways running under the
Hudson River are sometimes referred to as the tube.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
Capillary tube, a tube of very fine bore. See Capillary.
Fire tube (Steam Boilers), a tube which forms a flue.
Tube coral. (Zool.) Same as Tubipore.
Tube foot (Zool.), one of the ambulacral suckers of an
echinoderm.
Tube plate, or Tube sheet (Steam Boilers), a flue plate.
See under Flue.
Tube pouch (Mil.), a pouch containing priming tubes.
Tube spinner (Zool.), any one of various species of spiders
that construct tubelike webs. They belong to Tegenaria,
Agelena, and allied genera.
Water tube (Steam Boilers), a tube containing water and
surrounded by flame or hot gases.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Water tube \Wa"ter tube`\ (w[add]"t[~e]r t[=u]b`).
1. (Zool.) One of a system of tubular excretory organs having
external openings, found in many invertebrates. They are
believed to be analogous in function to the kidneys of
vertebrates. See Illust. under Trematodea, and
Sporocyst.
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2. Any tube for passing or holding water; specif., in some
steam boilers, a tube in which water circulates and steam
is generated.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]