DCHP-1 Online

pipe ((1)) 1 [< Cdn F] Fur Trade, Hist.

• 1 n. a spell of travelling or rowing between rest periods at which a pipe was smoked; the distance that could be travelled in such a spell.

  See also: smoke (def. 3b)  spell ((n.))  (def. 1)  

  • 1793  (1933)  Leaving pointe au père we paddled two pipes and put to shore to give the men time to clean themselves, while we breakfasted. . . .
  • 1824  (1931)  Thence by Horses to Buffalo Dung Lake (1 pipe across) in Two Days. . . .
  • 1908  "Five pipes" are the long portages.
  • 1956  (1957)  The distance of a portage was reckoned at so many pipes.

• 2 n. a rest period between spells of travelling.

  See also: smoke (def. 3a)  smoke-up  spell ((n.))  (def. 2)  

  • 1806  (1960)  . . . the men are better off and better pleased than if they ate a little at every Pipe.
  • 1933  The code of voyaging had made provisions for two full meals only in twenty-four hours, one early in the morning, the second on establishing camp for the night (and a "pipe" of five minutes at intervals, if one smoked).

• 3 n. a space of time.

  See also: smoke (def. 3c)  

  • 1848  (1859)  The men used to row for a space of time, denominated a pipe, so called from the circumstance of their taking a smoke at the end of it.
  • 1933  The "pipe" was one of the units of time commonly used by the Canadians. It was apparently a flexible unit, for there seems to be no agreement as to the length of time it covered.
  • 1953  This evening we pitch off. We leave hyas quick--in half a pipe.