a. [ad. mod.L. tubulōs-us; cf. F. tubuleux (1771 in Dict. Trévoux).]

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  1.  Having the form of a tube; = TUBULAR 1.

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1664.  Power, Exp. Philos., I. 4. The stings in all Bees are hollow and tubulous.

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1755.  Gentl. Mag., Jan., 8/2. The flower is red and tubulous.

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1826.  Samouelle, Direct. Collect. Insects & Crust., 23. A very short tubulous haustellum.

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  2.  Containing or composed of tubes: = TUBULAR 3. a. Bot. (See quot.) rare0.

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1864.  Webster, Tubulose, Tubulous.… 2. Containing small tubes; composed wholly of tubulous florets; as, a tubulous compound flower.

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  b.  Of a steam boiler: Having either fire-tubes or water-tubes.

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1860.  Illustr. Lond. News, 5 May, 422/3. Safety-boilers (Tubulous) … are now made with water fire-box.

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1892.  Spectator, 19 March, 386/1. The tubulous boiler [for ships] … is growing in favour both in France and America.

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  Hence Tubulously adv., in a tubulous form; Tubulousness (Bailey, 1727, vol. II.).

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1818.  T. Nuttall, Genera N. Amer. Plants, II. 80. Spatha tubulously cucullate.

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