boatswain's pipe

noun

1. a hollow cylinder or cone, as of reed, straw, wood, or metal, in which air vibrates to produce a musical sound, as in an organ or wind instrument
2. any wind instrument; specif.,
   1. bagpipe
   2. a small medieval fipple flute played with the left hand while the right hand beats a tabor
3. a small, shrill whistle, used by a boatswain as in conveying orders to a ship's crew
   in full boatswain's pipe
4. a high, shrill sound, as of a voice, birdcall, etc.
5. the vocal organs, esp. as used in singing
6. a long tube of clay, concrete, metal, plastic, etc., for conveying water, gas, oil, etc. or for use in construction
7. 1. a tubular organ or canal of the body
   2. the respiratory organs
8. 1. a somewhat cylindrical deposit of ore
   2. an opening into a volcano's crater
9. anything tubular in form
10. 1. a tube with a small bowl at one end, in which tobacco, etc. is smoked
    2. enough tobacco, etc. to fill such a bowl
11. 1. a large cask for wine, oil, etc., having a capacity of about two hogsheads, or 126 gallons
    2. this volume as a unit of measure
12. ☆ Slang something regarded as easy to accomplish

intransitive verb piped, piping

1. to play on a pipe
2. to utter shrill, reedy sounds or tones
3. Metallurgy to develop longitudinal cavities, as steel sometimes does in ingots and castings during solidification
4. Naut. to signal a ship's crew by sounding a boatswain's pipe

transitive verb

1. to play (a tune, etc.) on a pipe
2. to utter in a shrill, reedy voice or tone
3. to affect or bring to some condition or place by or as by playing pipes: to pipe the clan to battle
4. ☆ to convey (water, gas, oil, etc.) by means of pipes
5. ☆ to provide with pipes
6. to trim (a dress, etc.) with piping
7. to squeeze (icing, dough, or other soft or puréed food) from a pastry bag
8. Slang to look at or notice
9. Naut. to call together or alert (the crew), make (a specified call), or signal the arrival aboard or the departure of (someone) by sounding a boatswain's pipe