Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small wooden keg or cask: A "firkin" is a small barrel, traditionally made of wood, used for storing, transporting, or dispensing liquids like beer, butter, or fish.
   • A British unit of capacity: A "firkin" is also a unit of volume in the British imperial system, equal to 9 imperial gallons. This is approximately 40.9 liters.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Container):
  • The brewer tapped the firkin of ale for the festival.
  • They stored the salted fish in a firkin.
• Noun (Unit of Measure):
  • The recipe called for a firkin of water.
  • Traditional British ale is sometimes sold by the firkin.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Commercial Context: The term is often used in historical contexts or in traditional brewing and cooperage (barrel-making) trades.
  • The cellar was stocked with firkins of porter and stout.

Variants and Related Words

• Keg: A small barrel, often metal, similar in function to a firkin but not necessarily the same size.
• Cask: A general term for a barrel-shaped container, often larger than a firkin.
• Barrel: A larger cask; note that a "barrel" is also a specific, larger unit of measure.

Synonyms

• Keg: A small barrel.
• Cask: A barrel for holding liquids.

Notes on Meaning

The word has two distinct but related meanings: 1. The physical object: a small wooden container. 2. The abstract measurement: a specific unit of volume. The container meaning is primary, with the unit of measure derived from the standard size of such a container.

Noun

1. a small wooden keg
2. a British unit of capacity equal to 9 imperial gallons