Definitions for tunnel
ˈtʌn ltun·nel

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tunnelnoun

   An underground or underwater passage.

   Etymology: From tonnelle.

2. tunnelnoun

   A passage through or under some obstacle.

   Etymology: From tonnelle.

3. tunnelnoun

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

   Etymology: From tonnelle.

4. tunnelverb

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

   Etymology: From tonnelle.

5. tunnelverb

   To make a tunnel.

   Etymology: From tonnelle.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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

1. • Car
   • Dig
   • Passageway
   • Penetrate

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

How to pronounce tunnel?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

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. John Abbamondi:

   There is a light at the end of the tunnel – it comes in the form of a vaccine, and we’re really delighted to be part of the vaccine effort, we’re really looking for our fans to get vaccinated.

2. Eric Vercoutre:

   We will pursue our actions to make the French government budge, from midday Thursday we will carry out actions disrupting the tunnel.

3. David Cockfield:

   Oil doesn't seem to be able to find any point where it can stop falling. We really have to see the price of oil consolidate somewhere, the TSX is going to continue to flounder until we see some light at the end of the tunnel as far as the oil stocks and oil prices are concerned.

4. Sean Kelley:

   Prisons are designed to punish, to keep people afraid, to deter, this prison changed everything though. The people who built this prison said 'why not rehabilitate, why not inspire penance?' So they built this building calling it a penitentiary. The prison at that time was state-of-the-art, revolutionary and the most expensive in the world. In operation from 1829 to 1971, thousands passed through the large gates in the 142 years it was in operation. The prisoners included some notorious criminals like Al Capone and bank robber William Slick Willie Sutton. Sutton, in fact, was part of a 1945 jailbreak. He and 11 other prisoners built a tunnel they thought would carry them to freedom. Instead, within months after the well-planned escape, all 12 inmates who broke out were caught and returned. Slick Willie was captured just 3 minutes after breaking free. In operation from 1829 to 1971, thousands passed through the large gates in the 142 years it was in operation. The prisoners included some notorious criminals like Al Capone and bank robber William.

5. Ashok Kumar:

   We are trying to break open the tunnel, it’s a long one, about 2.5 km.

Images & Illustrations of tunnel

Popularity rank by frequency of use