[pahyp-lahyn] 
noun, verb, -lined, -lin⋅ing.| 1. | a long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport crude oil, natural gas, water, etc., esp. over great distances. |
| 2. | a route, channel, or process along which something passes or is provided at a steady rate; means, system, or flow of supply or supplies: Freighters and cargo planes are a pipeline for overseas goods. |
| 3. | a channel of information, esp. one that is direct, privileged, or confidential; inside source; reliable contact. |
| 4. | to convey by or as if by pipeline: to pipeline oil from the far north to ice-free ports; to pipeline graduates into the top jobs. |
| 5. | in the pipeline,
|
in the pipeline
|
pipeline
in the pipeline
In process, under way, as in The blueprints for the new machine are in the pipeline, but it will take months to get approval. [Colloquial; 1940s] Also see in the works.
Budgeted for something but not yet spent, as in There's $5 million more in the pipeline for the city schools. [Colloquial; second half of 1900s]
