Chan"nel (?), n. [OE. chanel, canel, OF. chanel, F. chenel, fr. L. canalis. See Canal.]
1.
The hollow bed where a stream of water runs or may run.
2.
The deeper part of a river, harbor, strait, etc., where the main current flows, or which affords the best and safest passage for vessels.
3. Geog.
A strait, or narrow sea, between two portions of lands; as, the British Channel.
4.
That through which anything passes; means of passing, conveying, or transmitting; as, the news was conveyed to us by different channels.
The veins are converging channels.
Dalton.
At best, he is but a channel to convey to the National assembly such matter as may import that body to know.
Burke.
5.
A gutter; a groove, as in a fluted column.
6. pl. [Cf. Chain wales.] Naut.
Flat ledges of heavy plank bolted edgewise to the outside of a vessel, to increase the spread of the shrouds and carry them clear of the bulwarks.
Channel bar, Channel iron Arch., an iron bar or beam having a section resembling a flat gutter or channel. -- Channel bill Zool., a very large Australian cucko (Scythrops Novaehollandiae. -- Channel goose. Zool. See Gannet.
© Webster 1913.
Chan"nel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Channeled (?), or Channelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Channeling, or Channelling.]
1.
To form a channel in; to cut or wear a channel or channels in; to groove.
No more shall trenching war channel her fields.
Shak.
2.
To course through or over, as in a channel.
Cowper.
© Webster 1913.