Pail

/peɪl/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A bucket, typically one with a handle, used for carrying liquids or other substances.
She filled the pail with water from the well.
A container for holding a specified quantity of liquid or other substance.
The ice cream shop offered a pail of their famous vanilla flavor.
A unit of measure, often used in reference to liquid capacity.
The farmer filled a pail of milk each morning before dawn.

Etymology

Middle English 'pail' from Old French 'paille', meaning 'straw' or 'a small bucket'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

pail of water:
A container filled with water, often used for various purposes like cleaning or watering plants.
paint pail:
A bucket specifically designed to hold paint for painting projects.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

An informal term for a large and unwieldy container or a mess.
This whole situation is a right pail!