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.

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.

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

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

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. Firefigther Stephen Siller:

   He died the way he lived, serving others, if given the choice all over again he would run through that tunnel and give up his life for others, I have no doubt in my head and my heart. He would do it again.

2. Ashok Kumar:

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

3. Allan Zeman:

   It's not an easy situation, because at the moment, there's no light at the end of the tunnel, i know many of my tenants. I don't know if they can survive.

4. Yalcin Akdogan:

   The light at the end of the tunnel can be seen more than ever.

5. Attorney General Arely Gomez:

   He used that cover to become a link between those who built the tunnel as well as making the payments.

Popularity rank by frequency of use