I. chan ‧ nel 1 S3 W2 AC /ˈtʃænl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: chanel , from Latin canalis ; ⇨ ↑ canal ]
1 . TELEVISION a television station and all the programmes that it broadcasts:
the news on Channel 4
The kids are watching cartoons on the Disney Channel.
What channel is ‘ER’ on?
He changed channels to watch the basketball game.
2 . FOR GETTING INFORMATION/GOODS ETC a system or method that you use to send or obtain information, goods, permission etc:
The U.S. is working through diplomatic channels to find a solution.
The new software will be sold through existing distribution channels.
channel of
It is important that we open channels of communication with the police.
3 . SEA/RIVER
a) an area of water that connects two larger areas of water:
St George’s Channel
b) the Channel British English the area of water between France and England SYN the English Channel
c) the deepest part of a river, ↑ harbour , or sea, especially where it is deep enough to allow ships to sail in
4 . WATER a passage that water or other liquids flow along:
an irrigation channel
5 . RADIO a particular range of ↑ sound wave s which can be used to send and receive radio messages
6 . IN A SURFACE a long deep line cut into a surface or a long deep space between two edges SYN groove :
The sliding doors fit into these plastic channels.
7 . WAY TO EXPRESS YOURSELF a way of expressing your thoughts, feelings, or physical energy SYN vehicle
channel for
Art provides a channel for the children’s creativity.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ types of channel
▪ a television channel
NTV is Russia’s leading television channel.
▪ a news/movie/sports etc channel
What’s on the movie channel tonight?
▪ a satellite channel (=using signals sent from a machine in space)
CNN and other satellite channels
▪ a cable channel (=using signals sent through a wire)
ABC announced its plans for a new cable channel.
▪ a terrestrial channel (=not using satellite)
Channel 5 is the newest terrestrial channel in the UK.
▪ a digital channel (=using electronic signals sent out in the form of numbers)
You can’t record one digital channel while watching another.
▪ a commercial channel (=paid for by people advertising on it)
On commercial channels they have advertisement breaks.
■ verbs
▪ change channels
Use the remote control to change channels.
▪ switch channels
He kept switching channels.
▪ launch a channel (=start a channel broadcasting on TV)
In 1994, SKY launched two new channels.
▪ watch a channel
The kids are always watching the cartoon channel.
▪ a channel broadcasts something
All the channels are broadcasting the match live.
▪ channel-hop (=keep changing from one channel to another)
I usually start channel-hopping when the adverts are on.
II. channel 2 AC BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle channelled , present participle channelling British English , channeled , channeling American English ) [transitive]
1 . to control and direct something such as money or energy towards a particular purpose SYN direct
channel something into something
Most of his energy was channeled into writing and lecturing.
channel something to somebody
Profits are channelled to conservation groups.
channel something through something
The famine relief money was channelled through the UN.
2 . to control or direct people or things to a particular place, work, situation etc
channel somebody/something into something
Women were likely to be channeled into jobs as teachers or nurses.
Drugs from government pharmacies were being channeled into illegal drug markets.
3 . to cut a long deep line in something:
Water had channelled grooves in the rock.
4 . to send water through a passage:
An efficient irrigation system channels water to the crops.
5 . to allow a spirit to come into your body and speak through you, or to tell people a message that you have received in this way:
She claims to channel the spirit of a 2,000-year-old hunter.
6 . to look or sound like a famous person, especially someone who is dead:
In her latest video, Kylie is channelling Marilyn Monroe.