firkin
(redirected from Firkins)Also found in: Thesaurus, Financial.
fir·kin
(fûr′kĭn)n.
1. A small wooden barrel or covered vessel.
2. Any of several British units of capacity, usually equal to about 1/4 of a barrel or 9 gallons (34 liters).
[Middle English ferken, ferdekin, probably from Middle Dutch *verdelkijn, diminutive of veerdel, one-fourth : veerde, fourth; see kwetwer- in Indo-European roots + deel, part; see dail- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
firkin
(ˈfɜːkɪn)n
1. (Brewing) a small wooden barrel or similar container
2. (Units) Brit a unit of capacity equal to nine gallons
[C14 fir, from Middle Dutch vierde fourth + -kin]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fir•kin
(ˈfɜr kɪn)n.
1. a small wooden vessel or tub for butter, lard, etc.
2. an early English unit of capacity usu. equal to a quarter of a barrel.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Firkin
a measure of quantity; half a kilderkin, 1465; as a small cask for liquids, fish, butter, etc.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
firkin
A unit of volume, used especially to measure beer or ale. 1 firkin = 9.8 US gal.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | firkin - a British unit of capacity equal to 9 imperial gallons British capacity unit, Imperial capacity unit - a unit of measure for capacity officially adopted in the British Imperial System; British units are both dry and wet congius, Imperial gallon, gallon - a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters kilderkin - an obsolete British unit of capacity equal to 18 Imperial gallons |
| 2. | firkin - a small wooden keg keg - small cask or barrel |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.