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Webster 1913 Edition

Tunnel

Tun′nel

(tŭn′nĕl)
,
Noun.
[F.
tonnelle
a semicircular, wagon-headed vault, a tunnel net, an arbor, OF. also
tonnel
; dim. of
tonne
a tun; – so named from its resemblance to a tun in shape. See
Ton
.]
1.
A vessel with a broad mouth at one end, and a pipe or tube at the other, for conveying liquor, fluids, etc., into casks, bottles, or other vessels; a funnel.
2.
The opening of a chimney for the passage of smoke; a flue; a funnel.
And one great chimney, whose long
tunnel
thence
The smoke forth threw.
Spenser.
3.
An artificial passage or archway for conducting canals, roads, or railroads under elevated ground, for the formation of roads under rivers or canals, and the construction of sewers, drains, and the like.
4.
(Mining)
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.
Tunnel head
(Metal.)
,
the top of a smelting furnace where the materials are put in.
–
Tunnel kiln
,
a limekiln in which coal is burned, as distinguished from a
flame kiln
, in which wood or peat is used.
–
Tunnel net
,
a net with a wide mouth at one end and narrow at the other.
–
Tunnel pit
,
Tunnel shaft
,
a pit or shaft sunk from the top of the ground to the level of a tunnel, for drawing up the earth and stones, for ventilation, lighting, and the like.

Tun′nel

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Tunneled
(tŭn′nĕld)
or
Tunnelled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Tunneling
or
Tunnelling
.]
1.
To form into a tunnel, or funnel, or to form like a tunnel;
as, to
tunnel
fibrous plants into nests
.
Derham.
2.
To catch in a tunnel net.
3.
To make an opening, or a passageway, through or under;
as, to
tunnel
a mountain; to
tunnel
a river.

Webster 1828 Edition

Tunnel

TUN'NEL

,
Noun.
A vessel with a broad mouth at one end, and a pipe or tube at the other, for conveying liquor into casks.
1.
The opening of a chimney for the passage of smoke; called generally a funnel.
2.
A large subterraneous arch through a hill for a canal and the passage of boats. Smaller drains or culverts are also called tunnels.

TUN'NEL

,
Verb.
T.
To form like a tunnel; as, to tunnel fibrous plants into nests.
1.
To catch in a net called a tunnel-net.
2.
To form with net-work.

Definition 2024

Tunnel

Tunnel

See also: tunnel

German

Noun

Tunnel m, n ‎(genitive Tunnels, plural Tunnel or Tunnels)

  1. tunnel

Usage notes

  • The predominant plural is unchanged Tunnel. The plural Tunnels is normal in Swiss standard German. Otherwise it is dated.
  • The predominant gender is masculine. The word may, alternatively, be treated as a neuter in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Declension

Derived terms

tunnel

tunnel

See also: Tunnel

English

a tunnel [1-2] in Wuppertal

Noun

tunnel ‎(plural tunnels)

  1. An underground or underwater passage.
  2. A passage through or under some obstacle.
    • 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit
      But very soon he grew to like it, for the Boy used to talk to him, and made nice tunnels for him under the bedclothes that he said were like the burrows the real rabbits lived in.
  3. A hole in the ground made by an animal, a burrow.
  4. (computing, networking) A wrapper for a protocol that cannot otherwise be used because it is unsupported, blocked, or insecure.
  5. 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.
  6. The opening of a chimney for the passage of smoke; a flue.
    • Spenser
      And one great chimney, whose long tunnel thence / The smoke forth threw.
  7. (mining) 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.

Translations

Verb

tunnel ‎(third-person singular simple present tunnels, present participle (UK) tunnelling or (US) tunneling, simple past and past participle (UK) tunnelled or (US) tunneled)

  1. (transitive) To make a tunnel through or under something, to burrow.
  2. (intransitive) To make a tunnel.

Related terms

Danish

Noun

tunnel c ‎(definite singular tunnelen or tunnellen, indefinite plural tunneler or tunneller, definite plural tunnelerne or tunnellerne)

  1. tunnel

Derived terms

Dutch

Pronunciation

Noun

tunnel m ‎(plural tunnels, diminutive tunneltje n)

  1. tunnel

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ty.nɛl/

Noun

tunnel m ‎(plural tunnels)

  1. tunnel

Italian

Etymology

Borrowing from English tunnel.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈt̪un.nel], /ˈtunnel/
  • Hyphenation: tùn‧nel

Noun

tunnel m ‎(invariable)

  1. tunnel

Synonyms

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

  • tunell

Noun

tunnel m ‎(definite singular tunnelen, indefinite plural tunneler, definite plural tunnelene)

  1. a tunnel

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

  • tunell

Noun

tunnel m ‎(definite singular tunnelen, indefinite plural tunnelar, definite plural tunnelane)

  1. a tunnel

Derived terms

Swedish

Pronunciation

Noun

tunnel c

  1. tunnel;
    1. An underground or underwater passage.
    2. A passage through or under some obstacle.
    3. A hole in the ground made by an animal, a burrow.

Declension

Related terms

  • biltunnel
  • järnvägstunnel
  • tunneleffekt
  • tunnelseende
  • tunnla
  • tunnling
  • vindtunnel

Etymology

From English tunnel.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtʊnəl/, [ˈtʊnəl], [ˈtʊnl̩] (standard)
  • IPA(key): /tuˈnɛl/ (dated; still sometimes southern)

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