Channel

The hollow bed where a stream of water runs or may run.

The deeper part of a river, harbor, strait, etc., where the main current flows, or which affords the best and safest passage for vessels.

A strait, or narrow sea, between two portions of lands; as, the British Channel.

That through which anything passes; means of passing, conveying, or transmitting; as, the news was conveyed to us by different channels.

A gutter; a groove, as in a fluted column.

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.

To form a channel in; to cut or wear a channel or channels in; to groove.

To course through or over, as in a channel.

a way of selling a company's product either directly or via distributors; "possible distribution channels are wholesalers or small retailers or retail chains or direct mailers or your own stores"

a television station and its programs; "a satellite TV channel"; "surfing through the channels"; "they offer more than one hundred channels"

a path over which electrical signals can pass; "a channel is typically what you rent from a telephone company"

(often plural) a means of communication or access; "it must go through official channels"; "lines of communication were set up between the two firms"