coal scuttle
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A coal scuttle is a container specifically designed for holding coal, typically for domestic use. Its shape, which often includes a wide opening and a slanted or lipped front, facilitates the controlled pouring of coal onto a fire, such as in a fireplace or stove.
Usage
A coal scuttle is used to store a supply of coal near a fireplace or furnace and to carry and pour coal conveniently and cleanly. * Please fill the coal scuttle from the sack in the shed. * She lifted the coal scuttle and carefully added more fuel to the glowing embers. * The old brass coal scuttle sat beside the hearth, now used as a decorative magazine holder.
Advanced Usage
- Historical/Decorative Use: In modern contexts where coal is not used for heating, a coal scuttle is often retained as a decorative antique or repurposed as a container for other items like firewood, umbrellas, or plant pots.
- The antique coal scuttle in the foyer now holds our walking sticks and umbrellas.
Variants and Related Words
- Scuttle: While "scuttle" alone can have other meanings (e.g., to run hurriedly, or a hatch on a ship), in the context of fuel, it is a shortened, informal form of "coal scuttle."
- He grabbed the scuttle to fetch more coal for the boiler.
- Hod: A similar container, often a trough-shaped box with a long handle, used by builders for carrying bricks or mortar, and sometimes for coal.
- Bucket/Pail: General terms for open-topped containers; a coal scuttle is a specific type of bucket designed for coal.
Synonyms
- Coal bucket
- Coal pail
- Fire scuttle
Related Phrases/Idioms
- To be on the scuttle: This is not a standard idiom derived from "coal scuttle." The verb "to scuttle" (meaning to deliberately sink a ship or to run quickly) has its own idiomatic uses, but they are unrelated to the noun "coal scuttle."
Noun
- container for coal; shaped to permit pouring the coal onto the fire