bucket

noun buck·et \ ˈbə-kət \

Definition of bucket

1 :a typically cylindrical vessel for catching, holding, or carrying liquids or solids

2 :something resembling a bucket: such as

a :the scoop of an excavating machine

b :one of the receptacles on the rim of a waterwheel

c :one of the cups of an endless-belt conveyor

d :one of the vanes of a turbine rotor

3 :bucketful

4 :bucket seat

5 :basket 3b

See bucket defined for English-language learners

See bucket defined for kids

Examples of bucket in a Sentence

We used two buckets of paint to paint the living room.
made buckets of money in the stock market

Recent Examples of bucket from the Web

Buckets of rain are still falling in Houston and the waters are still rising.

— david grinspoon, The Atlantic, "Hurricane Harvey Lays Bare Our New Bargain With Nature," 30 Aug. 2017
The Westcott Co.’s 45-foot tugboat — ZIP code 48222 — hoists items up via rope and bucket.

— Washington Post, "Mail by pail is name of game for Detroit’s floating ZIP code," 25 Aug. 2017
Does this mean one of the Stark sisters is about to...kick the bucket?

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "A 'Game of Thrones' Director Just Teased Arya or Sansa's Death," 22 Aug. 2017
Sadly, with Thoros kicking the bucket this week and Beric staying behind at the Wall, the musical Brotherhood is officially disbanded . .

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Game of Thrones: See the Surprising Stunt That Injured the Hound," 20 Aug. 2017
Lightweight bucket seats were installed; rear seats and sound insulation were removed.

— hannah elliott, Bloomberg.com, "Mighty, Cute: The Colorful History of the Best-Selling Porsche 911," 8 Aug. 2017
When chronicling a bucket list of foods around the world, butter might not be on the top of it.

— alyse whitney, Bon Appetit, "Watch Steve Coogan Eat 'Life Affirming' Butter in 'The Trip to Spain'," 2 Aug. 2017
Some attendees are paddle enthusiasts who come every year and other are people checking something off a bucket list.

— sarah brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "16th annual Paddlefest: 'Playtime for paddlers on the Ohio'," 31 July 2017
Pence has kind of a lunch bucket mentality of a day-to-day working member of the administration . .

— abigail tracy, The Hive, "Mike Pence’s Master Plan Goes Up in Smoke," 20 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bucket.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bucket

Middle English, from Anglo-French buket, from Old English būc pitcher, belly; akin to Old High German būh belly

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

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bucket Synonyms

Other Civil Engineering Terms

asphalt, ballast, barrage, cantilever, infrastructure, sluice

bucket

verb

Definition of bucket

transitive verb

1 :to draw or lift in buckets

2 British

a :to ride (a horse) hard

b :to drive hurriedly or roughly

3 :to deal with in a bucket shop

intransitive verb

1 :hustle, hurry

2 a :to move about haphazardly or irresponsibly

b :to move roughly or jerkily

See bucket defined for English-language learners

Examples of bucket in a Sentence

bucketing water from the well, we raced to put out the fire
getting the troops into the bucketing landing craft proved to be challenging

First Known Use of bucket

1640

bucket Synonyms

Synonyms

dip, lade, ladle, scoop, spoon

Related Words

bail; deplete, drain, eliminate, empty, exhaust; bleed, draw (off); dish; slop; decant, draw, pump, siphon (also syphon), suction

Near Antonyms

pour; fill

BUCKET Defined for English Language Learners

bucket

noun

Definition of bucket for English Language Learners

: an open container with a handle that is used especially to hold and carry water and other liquids
: the amount contained in a bucket
: a large container that is part of a machine (such as a tractor) and that is used for digging or carrying dirt, rocks, and other material