gallon

noun

GAL-uhn/ˈɡælən/

5 meanings of gallon

1
nouncountable
A measure of liquid equal to eight pints.
About as much as eight pint glasses poured together.
We bought a gallon of milk at the store.
The bucket holds about one gallon of water.
2
nounUScountable
The American measure for liquids, equal to about 3.8 liters.
A gallon of gas costs more this summer than it did last year.
She poured a gallon of lemonade into the cooler.
3
nounBritishCanadacountable
The British measure for liquids, equal to about 4.5 liters.
A gallon of petrol costs more than it did last year.
The old recipe measured the cider by the gallon.
4
nouncolloquialcountableplural
A very large amount of a liquid.
Like saying 'tons' of something: it just means a whole lot.
He drank what felt like a gallon of water after the run.
The kids spilled gallons of juice all over the floor.
Similarbucket
Oppositedrop
5
nounUScountable
An American measure for dry goods, equal to about 4.4 liters.
The farmer sold a gallon of berries at the market.
We picked nearly two gallons of apples from the orchard.

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It came through Old French and Late Latin words for a wine measure, from a Latin word for a vessel. It may go back to a Gaulish word.