chaldron
9.9
An old British measure for coal and other dry goods equal to 36 bushels
- noun
- /ˈtʃɔːldrən/
- Archaic
:
chaldron
- Each chaldron of coal was measured carefully to ensure accurate pricing and delivery.
Examples
-
By a law of 1694, the Newcastle chaldron of coal was defined to weigh 5,940 pounds. There is a good counterexample in the 1831-46 period that supports our main thesis, a decade without significant Consols' profits but with the massive capital needs for the railways.
Academic text (2018) -
The merchant ordered ten chaldron of coal for the new shop he was opening.
-
During the auction, the coal was sold by the chaldron, attracting many buyers interested in bulk.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Chaldron comes from an older word chalder that meant a 'large load' or container used for coal, so people thought of it as the amount that fit in that load. That's why a chaldron became the name of a set measure of coal (36 bushels).
