bushel

¹

[ boosh-uhl ]

noun

1. a unit of dry measure containing 4 pecks, equivalent in the U.S. (and formerly in England) to 2,150.42 cubic inches or 35.24 liters Win·ches·ter bushel, and in Great Britain to 2,219.36 cubic inches or 36.38 liters Im·pe·ri·al bushel. : bu., bush.
2. a container of this capacity.
3. a unit of weight equal to the weight of a bushel of a given commodity.
4. a large, unspecified amount or number:

   a bushel of kisses.

bushel

²

[ boosh-uhl ]

verb (used with object)

, bush·eled, bush·el·ing or (especially British) bush·elled, bush·el·ling.

1. to alter or repair (a garment).

bushel

¹

/ ˈbʊʃəl /

noun

1. a Brit unit of dry or liquid measure equal to 8 Imperial gallons. 1 Imperial bushel is equivalent to 0.036 37 cubic metres
2. a US unit of dry measure equal to 64 US pints. 1 US bushel is equivalent to 0.035 24 cubic metres
3. a container with a capacity equal to either of these quantities
4. informal.
   a large amount; great deal
5. hide one's light under a bushel
   to conceal one's abilities or good qualities

bushel

²

/ ˈbʊʃəl /

verb

1. tr to alter or mend (a garment)

Derived Forms

• ˈbusheller, noun

Other Words From

• bushel·er especially British, bushel·ler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bushel¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bu(i)sshel, bus(s)chel, from Old French boissel, boistiel, equivalent to boisse unit of measure for grain (from assumed Gaulish bostia; compare Middle Irish bas, bos “palm of the hand, handbreadth,” Breton boz “palm of the hand”) + -el noun suffix

Origin of bushel²

1875–80, Americanism; < German bosseln to patch < French bosseler to emboss; boss ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of bushel¹

C14: from Old French boissel , from boisse one sixth of a bushel, of Gaulish origin

Origin of bushel²

C19: probably from German bosseln to do inferior work, patch, from Middle High German bōzeln to beat, from Old High German bōzan

Idioms and Phrases

see hide one's light under a bushel .

Example Sentences

“I wanted to have kids for a long time. I just want one kid. I don’t need a whole bushel of kids. I just want one,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Cone collection, done by local residents who are paid by the bushel, is a catch-as-catch-can kind of business.

From New York Times

There is a market for rye here, Syburg notes, with the U.S. importing up to 13 million bushels yearly, mostly from Canada.

From Salon

He turned to face Aunt Sera, handing her a beautiful bushel of lavender.

From Literature

The price of corn — in terms of minutes worked to produce a bushel — has been declining for a couple of centuries as agricultural productivity has improved.

From Washington Times