skepful

9.9

A full load that a basket or hive can hold, like straw

noun

Archaic

: cesta llena

The farmer brought in a skepful of grain from the field.

Examples

She carried a skepful of straw into the barn on her shoulder.
They filled each basket with a skepful of honeycomb during the harvest.
He filled the skepful with fresh straw.
The farmer loaded two skepfuls of grain onto the cart.
She carried a skepful of straw into the barn on her shoulder.
The farmer brought in a skepful of grain from the field.
They filled each basket with a skepful of honeycomb during the harvest.

Synonyms

hatful

vsskepful

Informal

1 7.9

A large amount of something you can fit in a hat

is a precise physical load specific to agricultural or beekeeping contexts

potful

vsskepful

1 1.9

An amount that fills a pot

refers to a larger load for agricultural or beekeeping use

scoopful

vsskepful

1 2.3

The amount a spoon or small shovel can hold

is a much larger load used for straw grain or bees

How Much

cartload

Informal

2 3.5

bushel

30 6.6

skepful

Archaic

9.9

handful

81 1.0

pinch

13 1.0

Surface Forms

skepful singular

skepfuls plural

Morphology

skepful = skep (transparent) = skep + ful

Standard noun formation from 'skep' + '-ful' meaning 'amount that fills a skep', so the meaning follows directly from the base.

Etymology

Skepful comes from skep, an old word for a straw basket or beehive, and the ending -ful, which means 'full of', just like in handful. So, a skepful is the amount a skep can hold, a full load of straw, grain, or honeycomb.