flue

UK: /ˈfluː/ US: /flu/ ,(flo̅o̅)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

flue¹ /flu/   n. [countable]

1. Building a passage or duct, as for smoke to escape from a chimney.

See -flu-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

flue¹  (flo̅o̅), n. 

1. Building a passage or duct for smoke in a chimney.
2. Building any duct or passage for air, gas, or the like.
3. Building a tube, esp. a large one, in a fire-tube boiler.
4. Music and Dance
   • See flue pipe. 
   • Also called windway. a narrow slit in the upper end of an organ pipe through which the air current is directed.

• earlier flew, perh. representing Old English flēwsa a flowing, the form flews being taken as plural 1555–65

flue²  (flo̅o̅), n. 

1. downy matter;
   fluff.

• 1580–90; perh. to be identified with Old English flug- (in flugol swift, fleeting); akin to fly¹. Compare Low German flug

flue³  (flo̅o̅), n. 

1. a fishing net.

Also, flew. 

• 1350–1400; Middle English flowe; compare Middle Dutch vluwe fishing net

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

flue / fluː/ noun

1. a shaft, tube, or pipe, esp as used in a chimney, to carry off smoke, gas, etc
2. the passage in an organ pipe or flute within which a vibrating air column is set up
   See also flue pipe

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin

flue / fluː/ noun

1. another word for fluke11,

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

flue′ pipe′, 

1. Music and Dance an organ pipe having a flue.

• 1850–55

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

flue pipe, flue noun

1. an organ pipe or tubular instrument of the flute family whose sound is produced by the passage of air across a sharp-edged fissure in the side. This sets in motion a vibrating air column within the pipe or instrument