1 B1 idiomatic informal
to become quieter
"The crowd finally piped down after a few minutes."
inseparable
pipe down
B1 informal inseparable transitive/intransitive
to become quieter or to tell someone to stop making noise
In plain English
to be quiet or tell someone to be quiet
What does "pipe down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
to tell someone to stop talking or making noise
"Pipe down, please—I can't hear the announcement."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to lower the sound coming through a pipe
Actually means
to be quiet or tell someone to be quiet
Usage tip
Informal and often used as a command. Can sound sharp, but usually less rude than 'shut up'.
Words that pair with "pipe down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
kids class everyone for a minute
How to conjugate "pipe down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pipe down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pipes down
he/she/it
Past simple
piped down
yesterday
Past participle
piped down
have + pp
-ing form
piping down
continuous
Hear "pipe down" in the wild
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Other ways to say "pipe down"
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