Originally Posted by
Big Dave
tube |t(y)oōb|
noun
1 a long, hollow cylinder of metal, plastic, glass, etc., for holding or transporting something, chiefly liquids or gases.
the inner tube of a bicycle tire.
material in such a cylindrical form; tubing : the firm manufactures steel tube for a wide variety of applications.
2 a thing in the form of or resembling such a cylinder, in particular
a flexible metal or plastic container sealed at one end and having a screw cap at the other, for holding a semiliquid substance ready for use : a tube of toothpaste.
a rigid cylindrical container : a tube of lipstick.
[usu. with adj. ] Anatomy, Zoology,, & Botany a hollow cylindrical organ or structure in an animal body or in a plant (e.g., a Eustachian tube, a sieve tube).
( tubes) informal a woman's fallopian tubes.
a woman's close-fitting garment, typically without darts or other tailoring and made from a single piece of knitted or elasticized fabric : [as adj. ] stretchy tube skirts.
(in surfing) the hollow curve under the crest of a breaking wave.
3 ( the tube) Brit., informal the subway system in London.
a train running on this system : I caught the tube home.
4 a sealed container, typically of glass and either evacuated or filled with gas, containing two electrodes between which an electric current can be made to flow.
a cathode-ray tube, esp. in a television set.
( the tube) informal television : another wasted evening, sitting in front of the tube.
a vacuum tube.
verb [ trans. ] [usu. as adj. ] ( tubed)
provide with a tube or tubes : [in combination ] a giant eight-tubed hookah.
PHRASES
go down the tubes (or tube) informal be completely lost or wasted; fail utterly : we watched his political career go down the tubes.
DERIVATIVES
tubeless adjective
tubelike |-ˌlīk| adjective
ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from French tube or Latin tubus.
Thesaurus
tube
noun
the fluid travels through the tube cylinder, pipe, piping, conduit, line, flue, hose, cannula, catheter, siphon, pipette, funnel, duct, pipeline, drain.
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spare |spe(ə)r|
adjective
1 additional to what is required for ordinary use : few people had spare cash for inessentials.
not currently in use or occupied : the spare bedroom.
2 with no excess fat; thin : a spare, bearded figure. See note at thin .
elegantly simple : her clothes are smart and spare in style.
meager; nearly inadequate : the furnishings were spare and unadorned.
noun
1 an item kept in case another item of the same type is lost, broken, or worn out.
a spare tire : make sure there are no problems with any of the tires, including the spare.
2 (in tenpin bowling) an act of knocking down all the pins with two consecutive rolls of the ball.
verb
1 [with two objs. ] give (something of which one has enough) to (someone); afford to give to : she asked if I could spare her a dollar or two.
make free or available : I'm sure you can spare me a moment.
[ intrans. ] archaic be frugal : but some will spend, and some will spare.
2 [ trans. ] refrain from killing, injuring, or distressing : there was no way the men would spare her.
[with two objs. ] refrain from inflicting (something) on (someone) : the country had until now been spared the violence occurring elsewhere.
( spare oneself) [with negative ] try to ensure or satisfy one's own comfort or needs : in her concern to help others, she has never spared herself.
PHRASES
go spare Brit., informal 1 become extremely angry or distraught : he'd go spare if he lost the money. 2 be unwanted or not needed and therefore available for use : I didn't have much money going spare.
spare no expense (or no expense spared) be prepared to pay any amount (used to indicate the importance of achieving something).
spare the rod and spoil the child see rod .
spare a thought for chiefly Brit. remember : spare a thought for our volunteer group at Christmas.
to spare left over : that turkey will feed ten people with some to spare.
DERIVATIVES
sparely adverb
spareness noun
sparer noun ( rare).
ORIGIN Old English spζr [not plentiful, meager,] sparian [refrain from injuring,] [refrain from using,] of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German sparen to spare.
Thesaurus
spare
adjective
1 a spare set of keys extra, supplementary, additional, second, other, alternative, alternate; emergency, reserve, backup, relief, fallback, substitute; fresh.
2 they sold off the spare land surplus, superfluous, excessive, extra; redundant, unnecessary, inessential, unessential, unneeded, uncalled for, dispensable, disposable, expendable, unwanted; informal going begging.
3 your spare time free, leisure, own.
4 a man of spare build See thin adjective sense 3. See also note at thin .
verb
1 sorry, I can't spare a quarter afford, do without, manage without, dispense with, part with, give, provide.
2 their captors eventually spared them pardon, let off, forgive, reprieve, release, free; leave uninjured, leave unhurt; be merciful to, show mercy to, have mercy on, be lenient to, have pity on.
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)! It's not like I can nip down the road and buy some, either.
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