pipe cleaner
Noun: A pipe cleaner is a small, flexible cleaning tool. It consists of a short piece of wire that is covered with soft, fuzzy material (like cotton or chenille). Its primary use is to clean the inside of the stem of a tobacco pipe by removing moisture and residue.
The term "pipe cleaner" is a compound noun. It is used to refer to the specific object designed for cleaning pipes. * You need a pipe cleaner to properly maintain a tobacco pipe. * After smoking, he always runs a pipe cleaner through the stem.
While its primary function is for pipe maintenance, "pipe cleaner" is also commonly referenced in other contexts due to its distinctive, bendable, and fuzzy form. * In arts and crafts, pipe cleaners are frequently used to create figures, ornaments, and other decorative items. * The children made little animals out of colorful pipe cleaners. * The term can be used metaphorically to describe something that is thin, flexible, and fuzzy. * (Figurative) The tiny antenna looked like a bent pipe cleaner.
- Chenille stem: This is a common alternative name, especially in craft contexts, highlighting the fuzzy covering material.
- Fuzzy stick: A casual, descriptive term sometimes used in crafting.
- Pipe brush: A different type of cleaning tool, typically with stiff bristles, used for similar purposes.
- Cleaner: A very general term; "pipe cleaner" is specific.
"Pipe cleaner" is almost always used as a closed compound noun. It refers to the complete, manufactured item. The activity of cleaning a pipe is described with the verb phrase "to clean a pipe."
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cleaning implement consisting of a flexible tufted wire that is used to clean a pipe stem
