hose

Everyday

1. A hose is a long soft tube that carries water, for watering a garden or washing a car. tree →
2. A fire hose is a big strong hose that firefighters use. tree →
3. To hose something (or hose it down) is to wash or spray it with a hose. tree →
4. Hose is an old word for stockings or tights. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, a length measured, or a flow rate (litres per minute) to fill something; time = total ÷ rate. In everyday life: watering plants, washing the car or the dog, filling a paddling pool. In safety: firefighters use hoses; save water by turning the hose off. In science, a hose shows water flowing through a pipe. Phrases: «garden hose», «fire hose», «hose down», «turn the hose on».

Examples

• The hose is 15 metres long. tree →
• Water flows from the hose at 10 litres a minute. tree →
• How long does it take to fill a 200 litre tank? tree →
• He joins two hoses of 8 m each. tree →
• Dad hosed down the muddy bikes. tree →
• The firefighters pointed the hose at the flames. tree →
• Don't leave the hose running, it wastes water. tree →
• We filled the paddling pool with the garden hose. tree →
• They also gave him ragged hose and a tattered shirt, for they were very poor people. tree →

Note

Countable: a hose, hoses. Verb past: hosed. Do not confuse with hoes (garden tools) or whose. A flow rate per minute: total ÷ rate gives the time. Trap: joining hoses adds their lengths; two hoses filling one tank add their rates.