Skip navigation.

tun - What does it mean?

Definition of 'tun'

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Noun

(en-noun)
  • A large cask; an oblong vessel bulging in the middle, like a pipe or puncheon, and girt with hoops; a wine cask.
  • (brewing) A fermenting vat.
  • An old English measure of capacity for liquids, containing 252 wine gallons; equal to two pipes.
  • * 1882 , James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England , p. 205:
    • Again, by 28 Hen. VIII, cap. 14, it is re-enacted that the tun of wine should contain 252 gallons, a butt of Malmsey 126 gallons, a pipe 126 gallons, a tercian or puncheon 84 gallons, a hogshead 63 gallons, a tierce 41 gallons, a barrel 31.5 gallons, a rundlet 18.5 gallons.
  • A weight of 2,240 pounds.
  • An indefinite large quantity.
    • "He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit,
    This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this, Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim Hear no more of you. " -- Shakespeare
  • * (rfdate) Dryden
    • A tun of man in thy large bulk is writ.
  • (archaic|humorous|or|derogatory) A drunkard.
  • (zoology) Any shell belonging to and allied genera; called also tun-shell.
  • A part of the ancient Maya Long Count Calendar system which corresponds to 18 winal cycles or 360 days.

    • Verb

  • To put into tuns, or casks.
    • (Boyle)

    Anagrams

    * ----

    Similar to 'tun'

    ten, thin, tan, tin, then, teen, than, town, ton, twin, toon, thon, tyyn, tian, tiyn, taan, tyan, tain, tawn