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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A telescope. “Glazed optic tube.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A vessel in animal bodies or plants, which conveys a fluid or other substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) The narrow, hollow part of a gamopetalous corolla. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Gun.) A priming tube, or friction primer. See under Priming, and Friction. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Elec. Railways) A tunnel for a tube railway; also (Colloq.), a tube railway; a subway. [ Chiefly Eng. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. In the form of a tube; tubular; tubiform. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) (a) Having the nostrils prolonged in the form of horny tubes along the sides of the beak; -- said of certain sea birds. (b) Belonging to the Tubinares. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.[ L., a hump. knob; probably akin to tumere to swell. Cf. Tumid. ] 1. (Bot.) (a) A fleshy, rounded stem or root, usually containing starchy matter, as the potato or arrowroot; a thickened root-stock. See Illust. of Tuberous. (b) A genus of fungi. See Truffle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A tuberosity; a tubercle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an electrically powered railroad with tracks running through a tunnel underground; a subway. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. tuberculum, dim. of tuber: cf. F. tubercule, OF. also tubercle. See Tuber. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A small knoblike prominence or excrescence, whether natural or morbid; as, a tubercle on a plant; a tubercle on a bone; the tubercles appearing on the body in leprosy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) A small mass or aggregation of morbid matter; especially, the deposit which accompanies scrofula or phthisis. This is composed of a hard, grayish, or yellowish, translucent or opaque matter, which gradually softens, and excites suppuration in its vicinity. It is most frequently found in the lungs, causing consumption. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tubercle bacillus (Med.), a minute vegetable organism (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, formerly Bacillus tuberculosis, and also called Koch's bacillus) discovered by Koch, a German physician, in the sputum of consumptive patients and in tuberculous tissue. It is the causative agent of tuberculosis. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Having tubercles; affected with, tubercles; tuberculate; as, a tubercled lung or stalk. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having tubercles; affected with tubercles; tubercled; tuberculate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Like a tubercle; as, a tubercular excrescence. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) Characterized by the development of tubercles; as, tubercular diathesis. [ 1913 Webster ]