funnel

Plural: funnels

Noun

• a conical shape with a wider and a narrower opening at the two ends
• a conically shaped utensil having a narrow tube at the small end; used to channel the flow of substances into a container with a small mouth
• (nautical) smokestack consisting of a shaft for ventilation or the passage of smoke (especially the smokestack of a ship)
• A utensil in the shape of an inverted hollow cone terminating in a narrow pipe, for channeling liquids or granular material; typically used when transferring said substances from any container into ones with a significantly smaller opening.
• A passage or avenue for a fluid or flowing substance; specifically, a smoke flue or pipe; the chimney of a steamship or the like.
• Ellipsis of purchase funnel (“the process of customer acquisition conceptualized as a series of stages, from initial awareness (top) to sale or conversion (bottom)”).
• Ellipsis of funnel cloud.
• Alternative form of fummel (“hybrid animal”).

Verb

Verb Forms: funneled, funneling, funnels, funnelled, funnelling

• To pass through or as if through a funnel; to direct or channel.
• move or pour through a funnel
  • "funnel the liquid into the small bottle"
• To use a funnel.
• To proceed through a narrow gap or passageway akin to a funnel; to condense or narrow.
• To channel, direct, or focus (emotions, money, resources, etc.).
• To consume (beer, etc.) rapidly through a funnel, typically as a stunt at a party.

Examples

• Expect delays where the traffic funnels down to one lane.
• He tried to funnel his opponent’s plays into a corner, limiting their options.
• Our taxes are being funnelled into pointless government initiatives.
• top of (the) funnel marketing

Synonyms

funnel shape

Related Words

tundish

Anagrams of funnel