1. Each of the pipes by which hot air is conveyed in a ‘stove’ or hothouse.
1699. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (ed. 9), 165. [The plants] as they are placed nearer, or farther from the Noses of the Stove-pipes, enjoy the several Climats and Degrees of Warmth which shall be found most … agreeable to them.
2. A metal pipe attached to a stove to carry off the smoke.
1858. Lardner, Hand-bk. Nat. Phil., 273. If a stove pipe be observed ascending through a room, it will be easy to show that [etc.].
1861. C. Benson, in Macm. Mag., Feb., 276. He … finally clutched at the stove-pipe to save himself [falling].
1896. Kipling, Seven Seas, Three Sealers, 18. It was the sealer Northern Light … With a stovepipe stuck from a starboard port. Ibid., 26. A stovepipe seen through the closing mist, it shows like a four-inch gun.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, i. 3. A shop … where ancient pieces of stove-pipe and a few fire-irons are exposed for sale.
attrib. 1882. U.S. Rep. Prec. Met., 627. The pipes are … jointed together in stove-pipe fashion.
3. colloq. or slang. a. (Originally U.S.) A tall hat of cylindrical shape, a ‘top hat,’ ‘chimney-pot.’ Also stove-pipe hat.
1851. Illustr. Lond. News, 27 Sept., 395/2. Every male who wears the present stove-pipe section head-gear.
1857. J. D. Borthwick, Three Yrs. California, xxii. 333. Here and there some forlorn individual exhibited himself in a black coat and stove-pipe hat, looking like a bird of evil omen among a flock of such gay plumage.
1883. F. M. Crawford, Dr. Claudius, x. His servant arrayed him in the purple and stove-pipe of the higher civilization.
1886. W. J. Tucker, E. Europe, 429. The brimless black velvet ‘stove-pipe’ hats worn by the girls on Sundays and holidays.
1902. J. F. Rusling, European Days & Ways, 319. The better classes all seemed to go to derby and slouch hats, and sack coats, instead of ‘stovepipes and Prince Alberts, as we expected.
b. pl. Trousers.
1863. Brierley, Waverlow, 147. Their calves were … hidden betwixt the seams of the more modern ‘stove pipes’ (trousers).
