pot

SayPOT/pɑt/UK/pɒt/

Pluralpots

Verbpots, potting, potted

41 meanings of pot

Practice

1
cooking vesselnouncountable
A deep round container used for cooking food or keeping it in.
Like a big metal bowl you can heat on a stove.
She filled the pot with water and set it on the stove.
The soup simmered in a heavy pot all afternoon.
UsageA pot of soup is the soup in it. Say cooking pot to be clear.
Similarpan, saucepan
Note
2
plant holdernouncountable
A container filled with soil for growing plants, especially flowers.
Like a little home where a plant lives and grows.
She planted basil in a small clay pot on the windowsill.
We planted red flowers in a big pot by the door.
Similarplanter, container
3
marijuananounslanguncountable
A slang word for marijuana, the dried plant people smoke to feel high.
They were caught smoking pot behind the gym.
He gave up pot after starting his new job.
UsageSay smoke pot, with no a.
Similarcannabis, weed, dope, grass, hash
Note
4
for hot drinksnouncountable
A container used to make or serve hot drinks like coffee or tea.
Like a special jug that keeps your drink warm.
She poured tea from a flowered pot into each cup.
He set a fresh pot of coffee on the table.
UsageSay make a pot of tea when you prepare tea in a teapot.
5
money to winnouncountable
An amount of money collected together, such as all the bets in a card game or money saved for something.
Like a pile of prize money everyone is playing to win.
She won a huge pot with a pair of kings.
Everyone added five dollars to the pot before the cards were dealt.
UsagePut money in the pot. Sweeten the pot means make an offer better.
Note
6
plantingverbtransitive
To put a plant into a pot filled with soil so that it can grow.
Like tucking a plant into its own little bed of soil.
She potted the seedlings before the frost arrived.
We need to pot these herbs this weekend.
UsageWrite potted and potting, with two t's.
Similarplant, transplant
7
nouncountable
One of the groups teams or players are put in, often by rank, before the random draw for a contest.
The eight best teams go into the first pot before the draw.
Our team is in pot three, so we will probably face a much stronger team in our group.
UsageTeams are in pot one or in pot two.
Note

Less common meanings

8
ruinnounslanguncountable
Ruin, or a state of getting much worse.
Like a sandcastle slowly falling apart.
After the manager left, the whole project went to pot.
His health quickly went to pot once he stopped exercising.
UsageSay go to pot, with no a: it went to pot.
Similarruin, seed
9
nouncountable
A small container, usually round with a lid, that holds things like paint, jam, or face cream.
She keeps a little pot of lip balm in her bag.
Each child got three small pots of paint for art class.
Similarjar, tub
10
volume controlnounslangcountable
A small dial or slider that controls how much electricity flows, often to change the volume.
Like a knob you turn to make music louder or quieter.
He turned the pot to lower the volume on the amp.
A scratchy pot can make the sound crackle.
UsageSay volume pot. In formal writing, use potentiometer.
Similarpotentiometer, knob, control
Note
11
lobster trapnouncountable
A trap shaped like a basket, used to catch lobsters or crabs.
Like a cage that catches and holds sea animals.
The fisherman hauled a heavy pot full of crabs onto the deck.
Each morning they checked the pots set along the rocky shore.
UsageSay lobster pot or crab pot to be clear.
Similartrap, creel
Note
12
preserve foodverbtransitive
To keep cooked meat or fish fresh by packing it in a pot under a layer of fat or butter.
Like sealing food in a jar so it keeps for a long time.
Each fall they pot some of the cooked meat in jars under melted fat.
She potted the shrimp in butter to keep them fresh.
UsageYou usually see potted: potted meat.
Similarpreserve, can, bottle, jar
13
sink a ballverbtransitive
In pool or snooker, to hit a ball into one of the holes at the edge of the table.
Like dropping a marble neatly into a hole.
She potted the black ball to win the frame.
It takes a very steady hand to pot a ball from that far away.
UsageYou pot a ball: she potted the red.
Similarsink, pocket
Oppositemiss
Note
14
cheap shotnounslangabbreviationclipping
Clipping of potshot. It means a quick, easy criticism or a careless shot.
UsageSay take a pot at someone.
Note
15
shoot (game)verbtransitive
To shoot at something or kill an animal with a gun, often quickly or without careful aim.
The hunter potted a rabbit near the fence.
Poachers pot deer under cover of darkness.
UsageSay pot at something for a quick shot.
Similarshoot, bag
Note
16
bellynounslangabbreviationclipping
Clipping of potbelly. It is a casual word for a round, sticking-out belly.
He laughed and patted his big pot after the meal.
Years of good food gave him quite a pot.
UsageSay a pot: he has a pot.
Note
17
toiletnouncolloquial
A container used as a toilet, or a casual word for a toilet.
Like a bucket people used as a toilet long ago.
Each morning the maid emptied the pot kept under the bed.
“Clinton,” Gail cried from outside, “are you going to sit on the pot all day?”
2011, Ben Zeller, Secrets of Beaver CreekHere, pot means a toilet.
UsagePolite words are toilet, or potty for children.
Similarpotty, john, commode, can, throne
Note
18
melting vesselnouncountable
A strong container used to melt metal at very high heat.
Like a bowl so tough it can hold melted metal.
Workers poured molten iron from the glowing pot.
The metal turned liquid inside the hot pot.
Similarcrucible
19
winverbcolloquialtransitive
To get or win something, usually after some effort.
She potted twenty points in Friday's basketball game.
He hopes to pot his first goal of the season tonight.
UsageUsed in sport: pot a goal.
Similarsecure, win, bag, land, net
Oppositelose
20
chimney topnouncountable
A short pipe of clay or metal on top of a chimney that helps smoke escape.
Like a little chimney hat that lets smoke out.
Smoke drifted up from the clay pot at the top of the chimney.
Wind knocked the old pot off the chimney during the storm.
UsagePeople usually say chimney pot.
21
toilet trainingverbBritishtransitive
To sit a small child on a potty or toilet to teach them.
She potted the toddler after every meal.
Parents often pot their babies at set times.
UsageYou pot a child: put the child on the potty.
Note
22
potion (games)nounabbreviationclipping
Clipping of potion. In games, it means a drink that restores health or magic.
She drank a healing pot before the boss fight.
He grabbed one more pot before entering the dungeon.
UsageGamers say mana pot. Otherwise say potion.
Note
23
catch in a trapverbtransitive
To catch fish or eels using a special basket trap called a pot.
Local fishermen pot eels in the shallow river.
They potted dozens of crabs overnight.
UsageYou pot crabs or pot eels.
Similartrap, catch
Note
24
drop goalverbtransitive
To kick and score a drop goal in rugby.
He potted a crucial drop goal in the final minute.
Skilled fly-halves can pot drop goals from long range.
UsageSay pot a drop goal.
Similarkick, slot, score, land
Oppositemiss
Note
25
beer glassnounAustraliacountable
A medium glass of beer in Australia, about 285 milliliters.
Smaller than a big mug: about one regular cup of beer.
He bought a pot of beer at the busy Melbourne pub.
At the Melbourne pub, she ordered a pot of cold lager.
UsageOrder a pot of beer.
Similarmiddy
Note
26
nounslangUK
A horse that many people bet on to win.
27
noun
An old measure of volume based roughly on how much a pot holds.
28
noun
A wide-brimmed iron helmet worn by soldiers long ago.
29
noun
A barrel with holes, used to drain liquid from sugar.
30
nounobsolete
A clay or metal cup for drinking alcohol.
"So kindly keep the vainglorious enumeration of your pots for the benefit of those village idiots who compose your particular set of boozing companions."
1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap
31
noun
A deep natural hole in rock that leads to a cave.
32
noun
A small hole used in some games of marbles.
33
noun
A pot-shaped support, often clay, that holds an electric rail and stops power leaking into the ground.
34
noundialectalEast MidlandsYorkshire
A hard plaster cover put on a broken arm or leg.
35
noun
A paper size once used, measuring 12.5 by 15 inches.
36
verb
To cover an electronic circuit fully in resin to protect it.
37
verbBritish
To put someone in prison fast.
38
verbobsoleteUK
To drink alcohol.
It is less labour to plough than to pot it.
1623, Owen Feltham, Resolves: Divine
39
verb
To let liquid drain out of sugar in a barrel with holes.
40
verbdialectalEast Midlands
To set a broken arm or leg in a hard plaster cover.
41
verbslang
To turn the sound up or down slowly with a control knob.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of pot apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 4–9, 11–21, 23–25

From Old English and Old French words for "pot," both going back to an old Germanic word.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

English pot derives from Old English and Old French words meaning pot. en.wiktionary.org
Both words trace back to an old Germanic word. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 3

Possibly a short form of a Mexican Spanish word for cannabis leaves.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The cannabis sense of pot possibly derives from a shortened Mexican Spanish word meaning cannabis leaves. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 10

A short form of "potentiometer."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Pot is a shortened form of potentiometer. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 22

A short form of "potion."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Pot is a short form of potion. en.wiktionary.org