FIRKIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does firkin mean? 

• FIRKIN (noun)
  The noun FIRKIN has 2 senses:

1. a British unit of capacity equal to 9 imperial gallons

2. a small wooden keg

  Familiarity information: FIRKIN used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FIRKIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A British unit of capacity equal to 9 imperial gallons

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("firkin" is a kind of...):

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)

Meronyms (parts of "firkin"):

congius; gallon; Imperial gallon (a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters)

Holonyms ("firkin" is a part of...):

kilderkin (an obsolete British unit of capacity equal to 18 Imperial gallons)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A small wooden keg

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("firkin" is a kind of...):

keg (small cask or barrel)

 Context examples 

While I, quoth the other loudly, do maintain the good sense and extraordinary wisdom of that most learned William against the crack-brained fantasies of the muddy Scotchman, who hath hid such little wit as he has under so vast a pile of words, that it is like one drop of Gascony in a firkin of ditch-water.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)