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.
4.
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.
Idioms
5.
in the pipeline,
Informal. in the process of being developed, provided, or completed; in the works; under way.
Government Informal. (of funds) authorized but not spent.
Vessels are loaded using either excavators and conveyor belts or pipelines.
The guerrillas also destroyed oil pipelines creating major ecological disasters.
British Dictionary definitions for pipelines
pipeline
/ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn/
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 pipeline, in the process of being completed, delivered, or produced
verb (transitive)
4.
to convey by pipeline
5.
to supply with a pipeline
Word Origin and History for pipelines
pipeline
n.
1859, "continuous line of pipes," from pipe (n.1) + line (n.). Figurative sense of "channel of communication" is from 1921; surfer slang meaning "hollow part of a large wave" is attested by 1963.
Slang definitions & phrases for pipelines
pipeline
modifier
Directly communicated: a pipeline review
noun
A channel of communication, esp a direct and special one: You'd think he has a pipeline to Jesus(1921+)
A channel or course for routine production, processing, etc: We'll have fewer men in what we call the ''pipeline'' who are moving(1955+)