pot

¹

[ pot ]

noun

1. a container of earthenware, metal, etc., usually round and deep and having a handle or handles and often a lid, used for cooking, serving, and other purposes.
2. such a container with its contents:

   a pot of stew.

3. the amount contained in or held by a pot; potful.
4. a flowerpot.
5. a container of liquor or other drink:

   a pot of ale.

6. liquor or other drink.
7. a cagelike vessel for trapping fish, lobsters, eels, etc., typically made of wood, wicker, or wire. Compare lobster pot.
8. a chamber pot.
9. Metallurgy.
   1. a vessel for melting metal; melting pot.
   2. an electrolytic cell for reducing certain metals, as aluminum, from fused salts.
10. British.
    1. a chimney pot.
    2. Dialect. a basket or box used for carrying provisions or the like; a pannier.
11. Slang. a large sum of money.
12. all the money bet at a single time; pool.
13. British Slang. (in horse racing) the favorite.
14. a potshot.
15. a liquid measure, usually equal to a pint or quart.
16. Armor.
    1. an open, broad-brimmed helmet of the 17th century.
    2. any open helmet.
17. Slang. a potbelly.

verb (used with object)

, pot·ted, pot·ting.

1. to put into a pot.
2. to preserve (food) in a pot.
3. to cook in a pot.
4. to transplant into a pot:

   We must pot the petunias.

5. Hunting.
   1. to shoot (game birds) on the ground or water, or (game animals) at rest, instead of in flight or running:

      He can't even pot a sitting duck.

   2. to shoot for food, not for sport.
6. Informal. to capture, secure, or win.

verb (used without object)

, pot·ted, pot·ting.

1. Informal. to take a potshot; shoot.

pot

²

[ pot ]

noun

, Slang.

1. marijuana.

pot

³

[ pot ]

noun

, Scot. and North England.

1. a deep hole; pit.

pot.

⁴

abbreviation for

, Electricity.

1. potential.
2. potentiometer.

pot

¹

/ pɒt /

noun

1. 1. a deep hole or pothole
   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      Pen-y-Ghent Pot

pot

²

/ pɒt /

noun

1. a container made of earthenware, glass, or similar material; usually round and deep, often having a handle and lid, used for cooking and other domestic purposes
2. short for flowerpot teapot
3. the amount that a pot will hold; potful
4. a chamber pot, esp a small one designed for a baby or toddler
5. a handmade piece of pottery
6. a large mug or tankard, as for beer
7. any of various measures used for serving beer
8. informal.
   a cup or trophy, esp of silver, awarded as a prize in a competition
9. the money or stakes in the pool in gambling games, esp poker
10. informal.
    often plural a large amount, esp of money
11. a wicker trap for catching fish, esp crustaceans

    a lobster pot

12. billiards snooker a shot by which a ball is pocketed
13. short for chimneypot
14. informal.
    a joint fund created by a group of individuals or enterprises and drawn upon by them for specified purposes
15. hunting See pot shot
16. See potbelly
17. go to pot
    to go to ruin; deteriorate

verb

1. to set (a plant) in a flowerpot to grow
2. to put or preserve (goods, meat, etc) in a pot
3. to cook (food) in a pot
4. to shoot (game) for food rather than for sport
5. to shoot (game birds or animals) while they are on the ground or immobile rather than flying or running
6. also intr to shoot casually or without careful aim at (an animal, etc)
7. to sit (a baby or toddler) on a chamber pot
8. also intr to shape clay as a potter
9. billiards snooker to pocket (a ball)
10. informal.
    to capture or win; secure

pot

³

/ pɒt /

noun

1. informal.
   short for potentiometer

pot

⁴

/ pɒt /

noun

1. slang.
   cannabis used as a drug in any form, such as leaves (marijuana or hemp) or resin (hashish)

Other Words From

• potlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pot¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English pott; cognate with Dutch, Low German pot, Old Icelandic pottr, Swedish pott, potta, Danish pot, potte; further origin uncertain

Origin of pot²

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; said to be a shortening of Mexican Spanish potiguaya or potaguaya, apparently contraction of potación de guaya wine or brandy in which marijuana buds have been steeped (literally, “drink of grief” )

Origin of pot³

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English potte, perhaps identical with pot ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pot¹

C14: perhaps identical with pot ¹but possibly of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish dialect putt water hole, pit

Origin of pot²

Late Old English pott, from Medieval Latin pottus (unattested), perhaps from Latin pōtus a drink; compare Middle Low German pot, Old Norse pottr

Origin of pot³

C20: perhaps shortened from Mexican Indian potiguaya

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go to pot, to become ruined; deteriorate:

   With no one to care for it, the lovely old garden went to pot.

2. stir the pot, to promote instability or conflict, as by taunting, encouraging, or otherwise provoking the participants in an ongoing disagreement:

   Trolls on Twitter just want to stir the pot.

3. sweeten the pot, Informal. sweeten ( def 8 ).

More idioms and phrases containing pot

In addition to the idiom beginning with pot , also see fish or cut bait (shit or get off the pot) ; go to pot ; hit the jackpot ; sweeten the kitty (pot) ; take potluck ; tempest in a teapot ; watched pot never boils .

Example Sentences

The benefits of being in pot one are obvious given only the group winners in World Cup qualifying are guaranteed a place at the finals, with the runners-up going into the play-offs.

From BBC

It means that if the Scots are in pot three they could face a tricky route to a first World Cup in what will be 28 years by the time the tournament rolls around.

From BBC

France, Spain or England are among the top seeds, and pot two could throw up games with the likes of Ukraine, Turkey, Slovakia, Greece or Norway rather than pot three sides such as Finland, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland or Iceland.

From BBC

They are now just outside the top 24 in Europe, which means they are destined for pot three in the qualifying draw for the World Cup in the Americas in 2026.

From BBC

They can still, incredibly, scramble a place in pot one and avoid the highest-ranked nations in next year’s qualifiers by squeezing into the top two in their Nations League section alongside Portugal.

From BBC

Related Words

• basin
• bowl
• bucket
• can
• cup
• jar
• jug
• kettle
• mug
• pan
• saucepan
• urn
• vessel