ash can
/'æʃkæn/ Cách viết khác : (ash-bin) /'æʃbin/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A trash can or garbage bin: A container, typically made of metal, used for holding ashes, rubbish, or other waste. 2. A style of early 20th-century United States painting: A genre of American realist painting from the early 1900s that portrays unidealized, often grim scenes of everyday urban life. This usage is often capitalized as "Ashcan School."
Usage
- The primary meaning refers to a physical container for waste.
- The secondary, specialized meaning refers to a specific art movement. When used in this artistic context, it is often part of the proper noun phrase "Ashcan School."
Examples
- Literal Meaning:
- He threw the empty bottle into the ash can on the corner.
- The alley was lined with overflowing ash cans.
- Artistic Meaning:
- The museum's exhibit features works from the Ashcan School.
- His painting style was influenced by the ash can artists of New York.
Advanced Usage
- "Ashcan" as an adjective: Used to describe the gritty, realistic quality associated with the Ashcan School.
- The novel had an ashcan realism that depicted the city's underbelly.
Variants and Related Words
- Ashcan School (proper noun): The collective name for the group of American realist artists.
- Ash bin: A less common variant with the same meaning as the container.
- Trash can, garbage can, wastebasket: Synonyms for the container, with varying regional preferences.
Synonyms
- For the container: trash can, garbage can, dustbin (UK), waste bin.
- For the art style: Ashcan School, urban realism.
Related Phrases
- To toss something in the ashcan: (Idiomatic) To discard or reject something, such as an idea or plan.
- After the negative feedback, they had to toss the entire proposal in the ashcan.
- Ashcan edition: A term sometimes used in publishing for a low-cost, quickly produced preliminary version of a book or comic.
Noun
- early 20th-century United States painting; portrays realistic and sordid scenes of city life