(1) A serial arrangement of processors or a serial arrangement of registers within a processor. Each processor or register performs part of a task and passes results to the next processor; several parts of different tasks can be performed at the same time.
(2) A direct, one-way connexion between two or more processes.
(3) In printers, the hardware path between the channel station or received-page station and the stacker.
(4) A message processing procedure that consists of one or more programmes known as stages.