pipes n.1
1. the voice.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Trial of Treasure Biiii: By the masse, and well said, but first let us sing, I must tune my pipes first of all with drinking. | |
| Knight of the Burning Pestle I i: Carry him this sticke of Licoras [...] ’twill open his pipes the better, say. | |
| London Spy IV 78: My Friend must needs be so Frolicsome to Tune his Pipes, and entertain us with a Song. | |
| Vulgus Britannicus III 40: Nor did the Rabble spare his Pipes, / Of Mortal Clay. | |
| York Spy 72: His Harmonious and well Tun’d Pipes. | |
| Low-life 41: Gentlemens Housekeepers opening their Pipes upon Under-Servants [...] that they may knwo for a Certainty what Authority she has. | |
| ‘George Barnwell’ in Universal Songster I 19/1: Now soon this voman did persuade him / Vith her fascinating pipes. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Picking from N.O. Picayune 70: It [i.e. laughter] is liberally let out through ever-acting escape pipes. | |
| Reformed Gambler 121: You cut me all up in little pieces, and put my singing pipes out of tune. | |
| Little Ragamuffin 40: I [...] began to cry, and howl, and shriek, setting my pipes to their highest pitch. | |
| Old Hunks in Darkey Drama 5 50: Don’t strain your pipes, ole man, like dat! | |
| In Strange Company 212: ‘Chirp to him, Carrots,’ growled the old man [...] ‘keep his pipes agoin.’. | |
| Fables in Sl. (1902) 28: More than once he had let drive with a Pop Bottle at the umpire and then yelled ‘Robber’ until his Pipes gave out. | |
| John Henry 56: He turns the hot-air into his pipes and comes out with the assertion that I couldn’t write a postal card [...] and finish right. | |
![[Can]](/static/img/flags/can.png "Canada") | ‘Insomnia’ in Ballads of a Bohemian (1978) 439: Of tea I’ll make a rousing brew, / And coax my pipes until they croon, / And chant a ditty to the moon. | |
| ‘Second from the End’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 190: But where’s your pipes? Don’t I remember you with the Herald Square Comic Opera Company in ‘Satan’s Sweetheart?’. | |
| ‘Trouper Talk’ in AS I:1 37: Even when I warbled, an’ my pipes are sweet, I couldn’t dent the old boilermaker’s convention. | |
| On Broadway 18 Dec. [synd. col.] Femme warblers [...] So many of them have pipes of pure velvet for a few notes only to have them flatten out like a Saroyan plot. | |
| ‘Skip Tracer Bullets’ in Popular Detective June 🌐 ‘Do somethin’,’ Willie yipped at the cops, but forgot his rusty pipes. | |
| [W.R. Burnett] It’s Always Four O’Clock 31: Just as Frank’s and Berte’s pipes began to tire [...] the butler came in and told Frank that the ‘buffet’ was ready. | |
| Dirty Laundry 195: ‘I want you to talk to me in a minute,’ I said. ‘So keep your pipes oiled.’. | |
| Secrets of Harry Bright (1986) 291: Hey, it’s Fred [...] Pipes aren’t quite as good as old Harry Bright’s, but not so bad for a hoofer. | |
| Muscle for the Wing 62: Willie, go on out there and turn your pipes loose on ‘Beast of Burden’. | |
| Native Tongue 311: The girl had great pipes. | |
| Guardian Guide 22–28 Jan. 22: In the words of the skinny kid with the big pipes from Hoboken, ‘we got high hopes’. | |
| Plainclothes Naked (2002) 1: Tony Zank’s mother piled down the rest home corridor, screaming [...] ‘Pretty good pipes for an oldster,’ said McCardle. | |
| Nature Girl 9: His [...] boss had suggested that he try telephone work. ‘You got the pipes for it.’. | |
| ‘Carny Lingo’ in http://goodmagic.com 🌐 Blow Your Pipes — To become hoarse from screaming at 'marks' all day long. |
2. the lungs, esp. of a singer.
| Satirist (London) 16 Oct. 222/1: The hounds of hell have opened their pipes. | |
| ‘Epistle from Joe Muggins’s Dog’ in Era (London) 10 Aug. 4/2: Herschel’s pipes wont let him get over harfe a mile; but that distance he’s good for. | |
| You Can Search Me 94: She has the most elegant line of language that ever left the pipes. | |
| Maison De Shine 260: His pipes’ll be ruined singin’ in all that smoke. | |
| letter 11 Dec. in Riggio Dreiser-Mencken Letters II (1986) 416: Unable to clear her throat, her pipes got clogged up. | |
| letter 23 Mar. in Riggio Dreiser-Mencken Letters II (1986) 624: The tropical air will clear out my frozen pipes. | |
| Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 14 June 7/2: My, Mr., you must have a fine pair of vocalizing pipes. | |
| Horse’s Mouth (1948) 303: I felt giddy. A bit much for the old pipes. I sat down and laughed. And then I began to cry. | |
| Exit 3 and Other Stories 139: I’ll get you some mescal and maybe that’ll warm up your pipes. | |
| Stand (1990) 184: Your pipes are sick. | |
| Yes We have No 187: She has a big voice by nature, belter’s pipes. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Wind & Monkey (2013) [ebook] The singer’s act was that corny, you could have boxed it and sold it for breakfast cereal. But [...] he had a terrific set of pipe. |
3. (also pipe) the throat.
| Eve. News (Sydney) 27 Apr. 7/4: Then, as with trained forensic tact, he cleared his ‘pipes,’ and began. | |
 | Abie the Agent 2 Dec. [synd. cartoon strip] I guess I’ll chase the frogs outa my pipes and tear loose with a song. | |
| Beggars of Life 115: I drank it without taking a breath and asked for another. ‘You sure got a hot pipe, Kid,’ said the conductor. | |
| Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 3: bad pipes – Sore throat. | |
| (con. 1969) Grunts 143: Hey, Chief, let’s go to the vill and get the old pipes cleaned out, eh? – and a bottle of whisky and maybe some grass for the rest of the squad. | |
| Devil All the Time 295: [He] woke the next morning on the floor with dry pipes and a sick headache. |
4. an automobile’s exhaust pipe.
| Boy from County Hell 236: [He] listened to the exhaust note. Nothing sang like a Mustang’s pipes. |
5. (US campus) the upper arms.
| Campus Sl. Apr. |
6. the vocal chords.
| Snitch Jacket 67: She’d taken out her dog’s pipes. Yapped too much. |
7. see pipe n.1 (1d)
In derivatives
unable to breathe easily.
| Pierce Egan’s Life in London 26 Sept. 5/2: Matthew, rather irritated, gave a terrible plunge on his Lordship's digester, which made him a little pipy. |
In phrases
1. to take a drink in order (lit. or fig.) to clear the throat.
| Antidote Against Melancholy in Choyce Drollery (1876) 118: It will clear his pipes, and moisten his lights, / If he drink alternatim a pot of good ale. | |
| City Politicks I i: He can’t speak, he’s so hoarse; he’s gone to drink a glass of sack to clear his pipes. | |
| Genteel Recreation (1820) 69: But first to clear your Pipes, we’ll drink. | |
| Comic Almanack Oct. 65: I’m bottle-holder for a glass of max, / So clear your pipes, my jolly cocks o’ vax. |
2. to clear one’s throat, esp. preparatory to singing.
| Wild Goose Chase V:vi: Be ready, sirrah / And clear your pipes; the music now. | |
| (trans.) Adventures of Gil Blas II 122: I am a chanter at your service, and amuse myself with clearing my pipes, as you will hear. | |
| High Life Below Stairs II i: I am really hoarse; but—Hem—I must clear up my Pipes. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Peeping Tom 29: Come – clear up your pipes and give him a song. | |
![[Scot]](/static/img/flags/sco.png "Scotland") | Caledonian Mercury 14 Oct. 4/2: Here the Champion made his debut as an orator, and after lushing a bit, by way of clearing his pipes, he gave a bit of a stave. | |
| John of Paris II ii: john: I heard your daughter sing a couplet. [...] ped: That’s right, Rosee; clear your pipes (she takes a guitar). | |
| Man o’ War’s Man (1843) 379: He concluded with a desperate ‘aha!’ to clear his much clogged pipes. | |
| Olio 31 July 68/1: All hands ahoy there, and clear your pipes, and give us the Lucy’s song. | |
| High Life in N.Y. I 38: Clear your pipes, feller citizens; let’s give ’em a song. | |
| Jack Sheppard 48: Silence for the captain! and clear your pipes for a chorus. | |
| Pimp 39: He cleared his ‘pipes’ and gave me a look. |
3. in fig. use, to lose one’s emotions, to ‘let off steam’.
| Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 106: A pious old matron, that every morning us’d to scold at her maids [...] not that they were in any fault, but only, as she said, to clear her pipes. | |
| (con. 1967) Welcome to Vietnam (1989) 114: That’s how fighters have been clearing their pipes for centuries. A ritual alcoholic bath then reprimed and ready. | |
| (con. 1962) Enchanters 416: [R]ape clears a man’s pipes. |
to work oneself to exhaustion.
| ‘You Need Hands’ Minder [TV script] 9: And I’ve been knocking my pipe out for the past two days trying to get you in with this diamond merchant. | |
| Pyramids (1990) 120: After you’d knocked your pipes out seeing to it that the nobility had their tickets to eternity, were you allowed to turn your expertise homeward [...] ? |
1. to sing.
| Compleat and Humorous Account of Remarkable Clubs (1756) 227: Then he who is, amongst ’em, the most celebrated Singer, to exhilerate [sic] the rest, begins to open his Pipes. | |
| Preston Chron. 19 Aug. 4/3: He [...] began to open his pipes. | |
| Wilds of London (1881) 273: Your pegger [...] at once opens his pipes and lets out a loud-sounding challenge. | |
| BostonPhoenix.com 17–24 Oct. 🌐 He sings so gently and smoothly on the opening ‘Yamore’ [...]. Keita does open his pipes full bore on the driving ‘Madan,’ which is based on a rhythm from a Malian harvest party. |
2. to clear one’s throat.
| This Is the Schoolroom (2000) 178: Just open your pipes and let 'em 'ave it – that's the only way. |
to cease from an action; to stop talking.
| Antichrist 148: Than maye the B[ishop] of Rome put up his pypes, that may he take his leaue of his great gainyng money marte. | |
| ‘Parson of Wollaton’ in May & Bryson Verse Libel 147: But when that he spied that cleare day was broke, / He put up his pypes and his leave he toke. | |
| Disputation Betweene a Hee and a Shee Conny-Catcher (1923) 14: Then in faith put vp your pipes, and giue mee leaue to speake. | |
| Unfortunate Traveller in Works V (1883–4) 32: He could haue found in his hart to haue packt vp hys pipes, & to haue gone to heauen without a baite. | |
| Killing is Murder 23: This Imposter may put up his Pipes, and set down by weeping Crosse. | |
| Marriage Broaker II i: But ’tis time I Put up my pipes. | |
| Eagle and Robin 49: Poke up your pypes, be nae mair sene At court. |
1. to yell, to scream.
| (trans.) Adventures of Gil Blas I 23: I happened one day to scratch myself, upon which, setting up my pipes, as if he had flead, my mother came running in. | |
| Ladies Mag. Oct. 449/2: If you interfere with me, I’ll soon make you set up your pipes. | |
| Boston Book 87: And oh! sweet pigs! ye musical sons of thunder-! set up your pipes and squeal a deafening chorus into the ears of the Massachusetts Executive Council. | |
| Angela I 43: Come along to your tea; and don’t you set up your pipes a-crying, master Tommy, and a disturbing of your mamma. |
2. to complain; to make a fuss.
| Student & Schoolmate July 303: Don’t set up your pipes to that tune, or you ’ll drive me right out of the house, and won’t get anything by it either. |