hogshead

noun

hogs·head | \ ˈhȯgz-ˌhed

, ˈhägz-\

Definition of hogshead

1 : a large cask or barrel

2 : any of various units of capacity especially : a U.S. unit equal to 63 gallons (238 liters)

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Examples of hogshead in a Sentence

the ship's hold carried 164 hogsheads of molasses

Recent Examples on the Web

Heavy first brought Guinness to America, when, on Oct. 16, 1817, eight hogsheads of Guinness porter were delivered to him somewhere in South Carolina. — Sean Rossman, USA TODAY, "This South Carolina man brought Guinness to the U.S. 200 years ago. The rest is history," 15 Mar. 2018 The king and his guests consumed 27 hogsheads of wine, 400 head of pork, 3,000 fowl, 15,000 herring, 10,000 eels, 100 pounds of almonds, two pounds of spices and 66 pounds of pepper. — Jocelyn Mcclurg, USA TODAY, "Santa's list should include 'Christmas: A Biography,' a fascinating history of the holiday," 20 Dec. 2017 The Layover: Amsterdam and BangkokThe Reward: Laphroaig the 1815 Legacy EditionIt's aged in both oversized hogsheads and bourbon barrels, lending fruit notes to a Scotch already potent with smoke aromas. — Meredith Heil, Condé Nast Traveler, "These Airport Duty-Free Shops Have Some of the World's Rarest Liquors," 31 Oct. 2017

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