milk can
1
1.6
- noun
:
lata de leche
- The farmer used a large milk can to hold the fresh milk from the cows each morning.
- an old milk can
- fill a milk can
Examples
-
[milk can clanking]
-
"Before that," he said, "a zinc-lined piano box, an iron boiler, a milk can filled with water, an enormous leather football laced by experts."
Fiction book (1996) -
Okay, what we do here is we're gonna grab the milk can, we're gonna put it up on the platform, okay?
-
I got a place that old milk can go if you're thinking of getting rid of it.
Fiction book (1993) -
He put the milk can down to rest his arms for a moment.
Fiction book (1996) -
So we're gonna lift with your legs, lift with your back, you're gonna lift, set the milk can up on top.
-
The boy lugged the cool, dewy milk can across the yard toward the kitchen.
Fiction book (1996) -
[milk can clanking]
-
[milk can clanking]
-
She rattled an empty condensed milk can with a slot in its lid.
Fiction book (1993)
Synonyms
491
1.0
A sealed metal container for food or drink
113
1.0
A metal container for keeping food or small things
7
1.0
A small metal container for keeping food or drink
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a large metal container for storing and transporting milk' is directly and compositionally derived from the constituents 'milk' (the substance) + 'can' (a metal vessel). This simple noun–noun compounding pattern is common in English and cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Milk can comes from the real object farmers used: a heavy metal can with a lid for carrying milk to the market or dairy. So the name now means 'a large metal container for storing and transporting milk'.