piping

8 definitions • 16 examples

a narrow strip of cloth used to decorate the edges of clothes or furniture:

Notice the gold piping and the gold cuff buttons on the jacket.

She wore a black shirt edged with white piping.

Give homemade cushions a sumptuous, expensive look with a few metres of piping.

lines or patterns of icing (= a covering made with sugar), cream, or other soft food, used to decorate something such as a cake, or the activity or skill of making these:

Chocolate piping is a very effective decoration technique.

Top the pie with mashed potato piping.

piping bag Fill a paper piping bag with royal icing that has been thinned slightly.

pipes in general or a particular system of pipes:

The house still had its original lead piping.

It was suggested that all the pipes should be replaced with plastic piping.

a length of piping

the skill or activity of playing the bagpipes (= a Scottish and Irish musical instrument that you play by blowing air into a bag and pressing it out through pipes):

There was some wonderful piping to be heard.

He was a great ambassador for Scotland, with his piping and his interest in football.

(of a voice or sound) high:

The boy's piping little voice could be heard through the crowd.

From outside the window came the shrill, piping sound of children playing.

(of food or drink) very hot:

The bread is always served piping from the oven.

Breakfast was coffee, fresh eggs, sizzling bacon, and piping toast.

a folded strip of cloth, often enclosing a cord, used to decorate the edges of clothes or furniture:

Contrasting fabric was used for the cushion’s piping.

pipes, or a system of pipes