piping
/ˈpaɪ.pɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpaɪ.pɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpī-piŋ/ (ame, mw)
piping — noun
1. the long hollow tubes, taken together, that carry water, gas, oil, or other liqu
the long hollow tubes, taken together, that carry water, gas, oil, or other liquids around a building, factory, or machine.
The plumber said the copper piping under the kitchen was leaking in two places.
copper / plastic + piping
Workers laid new piping along the basement wall before pouring the concrete floor.
lay + piping along + [place]
Rodrigo replaced the old lead piping in his grandmother's house last summer.
The factory shut down for a week so engineers could clean the steam piping.
文法句型
copper / lead / plastic + piping
lay / install / replace + piping
用法筆記
Uncountable: say 'some piping' or 'a length of piping', not 'a piping' or 'two pipings'. Distinguish from sense 3 (decorative trim on clothing): plumbing piping is hollow tube, while the sewing sense is fabric cord stitched onto a seam.
常見錯誤
2. a thin rope of cloth, sometimes coloured to stand out, sewn into the seams or al
a thin rope of cloth, sometimes coloured to stand out, sewn into the seams or along the edges of clothes, cushions, or curtains for decoration.
Salma's navy jacket had gold piping along the collar and pocket flaps.
[colour] + piping along + [garment edge]
The cushions on the sofa were edged with white piping that matched the curtains.
edged with + piping
Megan asked the tailor to add red piping down the side of her wedding trousers.
The hotel uniforms were dark grey with thin silver piping at the cuffs.
文法句型
[colour] + piping + on / along + [garment / fabric]
edged / trimmed + with + piping
用法筆記
Uncountable, like sense 1 — talk about 'piping' or 'the piping', not 'a piping'. Often paired with a colour and the body part of the garment where it runs (collar, cuff, seam, hem).
常見錯誤
3. a high, thin sound like that of a flute, a small whistle, or a small bird singin
a high, thin sound like that of a flute, a small whistle, or a small bird singing.
From the wood came the clear piping of a thrush just before sunrise.
the piping of + [bird]
Folake fell asleep to the soft piping of a flute drifting from the next room.
soft + piping of + [instrument]
Above the noise of the train, we heard the shrill piping of the conductor's whistle.
The shepherd answered the dog with a quick piping on his wooden flute.
文法句型
the piping + of + [bird / instrument]
high / shrill / distant + piping
用法筆記
Mostly literary or descriptive writing; in everyday speech people use 'whistling' or 'high notes' instead. Often combined with adjectives that name the quality of the sound (shrill, clear, soft, distant).
piping — adjective
- pipingpositive
- more pipingcomparative
- most pipingsuperlative
1. describing a voice or sound that is high and thin, as if made by a small whistle
describing a voice or sound that is high and thin, as if made by a small whistle or a young child.
In a piping voice, the youngest child asked whether the parade had already started.
in a piping + voice / cry
Devika could hear the piping calls of the chicks from inside the wooden box.
piping + calls / cries (of small creatures)
Christopher answered in a piping tone that everyone in the back row could still hear.
From the upstairs room came the piping laughter of two small girls.
- shrill
high and unpleasantly sharp; usually negative
- high-pitched
neutral; just describes the frequency, not the quality
- reedy
thin and rather weak, often of an older or untrained voice
文法句型
a + piping + voice / cry / call
in a piping voice
用法筆記
Used before a noun (attributive), almost never after 'be' — say 'a piping voice', not 'her voice was piping'. Most often pairs with words for the sounds of small children, young birds, or small flutes.
常見錯誤
2. in old or literary writing, describing a period when there is no war or fighting
in old or literary writing, describing a period when there is no war or fighting, when people can hear quiet pipe music instead of trumpets and drums.
Historians describe the years before the war as the last piping times of peace in Europe.
piping times of peace (fixed phrase)
In the novel, the old soldier looks back on the piping days of his youth with deep longing.
piping days (of + [period])
The poet contrasts the piping years before the siege with the long winter that followed.
Camille said the village still spoke of those piping times of peace before the border closed.
文法句型
piping times of peace
piping + days / years
用法筆記
Almost only seen in literature, history writing, or quotations from Shakespeare. Used before nouns that name an era ('times', 'days', 'years') and usually paired with 'of peace'. Modern speakers would say 'peaceful' instead.