drain-pipes

A woman wears drain-pipes with a simple blouse.

Definition

1. Noun (plural):
   • Pipes for carrying away water: "drain-pipes" are pipes used in plumbing systems to carry away wastewater or rainwater from buildings.
   • Slang for tight trousers: In informal British English, "drain-pipes" refers to very narrow, tight-fitting trousers (pants) that hug the legs, often called "drainpipe trousers" or "skinny jeans."

Usage Examples

• Plumbing context:

  • The old drain-pipes under the house were clogged with leaves. (Pipes that carry water away from the building.)
  • He repaired the broken drain-pipe that was leaking onto the driveway. (A single pipe in the drainage system.)

• Slang/fashion context:

  • She wore a pair of black drain-pipes to the rock concert. (Very tight trousers.)
  • Drain-pipes were popular in the 1950s and 1970s. (A style of narrow trousers.)

Advanced Usage

• "Drain-pipe trousers": the full term for the tight-fitting pants.

  • He bought a pair of drain-pipe trousers in burgundy. (Specifically narrow trousers.)

• "Drain-pipe jeans": a modern variant, meaning skinny jeans.

  • Drain-pipe jeans are still fashionable among teenagers. (Very tight denim trousers.)

Variants and Related Words

• Drainpipe (singular noun): a single pipe used for drainage.

  • The drainpipe from the roof was made of plastic. (A single pipe carrying rainwater.)

• Drain (noun/verb): a channel or pipe for carrying away water; to remove liquid.

  • The kitchen drain was blocked. (The opening in the sink for water to flow out.)

Synonyms

• For plumbing: , , .
• For trousers: , , .

Related Idioms

• "To go down the drain": to be wasted or lost completely.
  • All his hard work went down the drain after the project was cancelled. (His effort was wasted.)
• "To drain the swamp": to eliminate a problem or corruption.
  • The new manager promised to drain the swamp of inefficiency. (Remove all bad practices.)