What does Tunnel mean?

Definitions for Tunnel
ˈtʌn ltun·nel

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Tunnel.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. tunnelnoun

    a passageway through or under something, usually underground (especially one for trains or cars)

    "the tunnel reduced congestion at that intersection"

  2. burrow, tunnelverb

    a hole made by an animal, usually for shelter

  3. burrow, tunnelverb

    move through by or as by digging

    "burrow through the forest"

  4. tunnelverb

    force a way through

Wiktionary

  1. tunnelnoun

    An underground or underwater passage.

  2. tunnelnoun

    A passage through or under some obstacle.

  3. tunnelnoun

    A hole in the ground made by an animal, a burrow.

  4. tunnelverb

    To make a tunnel through or under something, to burrow.

  5. tunnelverb

    To make a tunnel.

  6. Etymology: From tonnelle.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Tunnelnoun

    It was a vault ybuilt for great dispence,
    With many ranges rear’d along the wall,
    And one great chimney, whose long tunnel thence
    The smoak forth threw. Fairy Queen.

    The water being rarified, and by rarification resolved into wind, will force up the smoke, which otherwise might linger in the tunnel, and oftentimes reverse. Henry Wotton, Arch.

    For the help of the hearing, make an instrument like a tunnel, the narrow part of the bigness of the hole of the ear, and the broader end much larger. Francis Bacon.

  2. To Tunnelverb

    Etymology: from the noun.

    The Phalænæ tribe inhabit the tunnelled, convolved leaves. William Derham, Physico-Theology.

    Some birds not only weave the fibrous parts of vegetables, and curiously tunnel them into nests, but artificially suspend them on the twigs of trees. William Derham.

Wikipedia

  1. Tunnel

    A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube construction techniques rather than traditional tunnel boring methods. A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. The central portions of a rapid transit network are usually in the tunnel. Some tunnels are used as sewers or aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations. Utility tunnels are used for routing steam, chilled water, electrical power or telecommunication cables, as well as connecting buildings for convenient passage of people and equipment. Secret tunnels are built for military purposes, or by civilians for smuggling of weapons, contraband, or people. Special tunnels, such as wildlife crossings, are built to allow wildlife to cross human-made barriers safely. Tunnels can be connected together in tunnel networks.

ChatGPT

  1. tunnel

    A tunnel is a man-made underground passageway that is dug through soil, rock, or other materials, and is typically used for transportation purposes. It is enclosed on all sides, except for the openings at each end, often equipped with lighting and ventilation systems. Tunnels can be used by vehicles, trains, or even built for utilities such as water and electricity.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Tunnel

    a vessel with a broad mouth at one end, a pipe or tube at the other, for conveying liquor, fluids, etc., into casks, bottles, or other vessels; a funnel

  2. Tunnel

    the opening of a chimney for the passage of smoke; a flue; a funnel

  3. Tunnel

    an artificial passage or archway for conducting canals or railroads under elevated ground, for the formation of roads under rivers or canals, and the construction of sewers, drains, and the like

  4. Tunnel

    a level passage driven across the measures, or at right angles to veins which it is desired to reach; -- distinguished from the drift, or gangway, which is led along the vein when reached by the tunnel

  5. Tunnelverb

    to form into a tunnel, or funnel, or to form like a tunnel; as, to tunnel fibrous plants into nests

  6. Tunnelverb

    to catch in a tunnel net

  7. Tunnelverb

    to make an opening, or a passageway, through or under; as, to tunnel a mountain; to tunnel a river

Wikidata

  1. Tunnel

    A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. The central portions of a rapid transit network are usually built in tunnels. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers. Utility tunnels are used for routing steam, chilled water, electrical power. or telecommunication cables, as well as connecting buildings for convenient passage of people and equipment. Secret tunnels are built for military purposes, or by civilians for smuggling of weapons, contraband, or people. Special tunnels, such as wildlife crossings, are built to allow wildlife to cross human-made barriers safely.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Tunnel

    tun′el, n. an arched passage cut through a hill or under a river, &c.: the long underground burrow of certain animals, as the mole: any mine-level open at one end: (Spens.) a flue, chimney.—v.t. to make a passage through: to hollow out:—pr.p. tunn′elling; pa.t. and pa.p. tunn′elled.n. Tunn′el-net, a net wide at the mouth and narrow at the other end. [O. Fr. tonnel (Fr. tonneau), a cask; also O. Fr. tonnelle, an arched vault, dim. of tonne, a cask.]

Editors Contribution

  1. tunnel

    A type of space and structure created and designed in various colors, materials, mechanisms, shapes, styles and sizes for a specific purpose.

    Tunnels are necessary in certain parts of the e.g. through the alps & the channel tunnel.


    Submitted by MaryC on December 19, 2019  

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'Tunnel' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3965

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'Tunnel' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4383

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'Tunnel' in Nouns Frequency: #1408

Anagrams for Tunnel »

  1. unlent

  2. nunlet

How to pronounce Tunnel?

How to say Tunnel in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Tunnel in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Tunnel in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of Tunnel in a Sentence

  1. Jeffrey Zients:

    I think everyone is tired, and wearing a mask can be a pain but we’re getting there and the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter and brighter, let’s keep up our guard, let’s follow the CDC guidance. And the CDC guidance across time will allow vaccinated people more and more privileges to take off that mask.

  2. Katerina Sarri:

    I'm aware that we will suffer for years but I'm still hopeful. I need to know that there is light at the end of tunnel, that the lives of my children will be better.

  3. Thomas Bach:

    This Olympic flame will be the light at the end of this tunnel.

  4. George Raitu:

    Millions of people are staring at a wall of expiring support programs, such as the pandemic unemployment insurance and eviction protection, which dampen the brightness of the incoming holiday season, while we see a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel with upcoming vaccines, there is still a big question around whether Congress can come to terms on a new stimulus package to help the country recover from the current economic downturn.

  5. British Prime Minister David Cameron:

    We are also adding fencing around the entrance to the tunnel in Coquelles.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

Tunnel#1#6860#10000

Translations for Tunnel

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for Tunnel »

Translation

Find a translation for the Tunnel definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Tunnel." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Tunnel>.

Discuss these Tunnel definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for Tunnel? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Image or illustration of

    Tunnel

    Credit »

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent
    A askant
    B irascible
    C flabby
    D commensal

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for Tunnel: