firkin

[ fur-kin ]
See synonyms for firkin on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a British unit of capacity usually equal to a quarter of a barrel.

  2. a small wooden vessel or tub for butter, lard, etc.

Origin of firkin

1
1400–50; late Middle English ferdkyn, firdekyn, equivalent to ferde (variant of ferthefourth) + -kin-kin

Words Nearby firkin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use firkin in a sentence

  • This dainty way, however, would hardly make a bad article good, and no one would crave a berry of ancient firkin butter.

  • A firkin or a large pail which does not leak and which can be devoted to the purpose is needed for slacking the lime.

  • One of these like the butter firkin on shore, could not patiently submit to everything, and—broke!

    Fighting the Sea | Edward A. Rand
  • The bottom of a butter firkin can stand what is reasonable, but what self–respecting firkin will submit to everything?

    Fighting the Sea | Edward A. Rand
  • Down he came, partly in the firkin and partly outside of it, falling in a very mixed condition.

    Fighting the Sea | Edward A. Rand

British Dictionary definitions for firkin

firkin

/ (ˈfɜːkɪn) /


noun
  1. a small wooden barrel or similar container

  2. British a unit of capacity equal to nine gallons

Origin of firkin

1
C14 fir, from Middle Dutch vierde fourth + -kin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012