A hose is a piece of tubing that is used to move liquids or, in a few cases, gases from one location to another. Hoses are usually circular and flexible; rigid cylindrical devices are typically known as tubes or pipes. People use hoses for a great variety of purposes, from gardening to putting out fires. They are also used in industry sometimes for transporting various chemicals where they are needed.

Different kinds of hoses can be designed quite differently based on intended use. A gardening hose, for example, may only be a simple length of rubber tubing. An industrial hose may need to be specially reinforced to handle higher pressures. Additionally, it may need to be composed of special materials that will not decompose in the presence of various industrial chemicals.

In many cases, a hose will be reinforced with fibers or with a non-rusting metal cord. These materials can be braided into the hose or wrapped around it. There are many other methods of reinforcement as well, such as spiralling. These methods are all used to increase the pressure resistance of a hose.

Even simple garden hoses can be purchased in many different sizes and styles. Some are very long and can reach across very large lawns or pieces or property, while others are small and easier to transport. People purchase garden hoses made from different kins of materials based on how often they intend to use the hoses for what kinds of tasks. Some hoses are perforated or made out of porous materials that leak water and are used to water plants over a large area.

People use hoses for a large number of purposes. Hoses are used to move water around and through buildings. Special hoses known as tough hoses are used in agriculture, where large quantities of water must be moved significant distances to water crops. Air hoses are used by divers to get air from a tank or from a remote source. Air hoses are also used for transporting pressurized air to pneumatic devices, such as nail guns.

Hoses are important parts of air brake systems, which are common in trucks and in railroad cars. Automobiles contain many different kinds of hoses which are responsible for moving several kinds of substances, such as coolants and lubricants, to various parts of the vehicles. Liquids and gases are transported through hoses in chemistry and in medical fields as well.