pot
A2Informal, Neutral, Slang (for marijuana)
Definition
Meaning
A round container, typically made of ceramic, metal, or other durable material, used for cooking, storing, or holding things, especially liquids or plants.
Can refer to a large sum of money in gambling or collective betting, to marijuana (slang), to take a potshot (criticize), or a chamber pot (archaic). Also used in various compounds like teapot, coffee pot.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has high polysemy. The core domestic/container meaning is neutral and common. The gambling 'jackpot' sense is informal. The 'marijuana' sense is slang. The verb meaning 'to plant' is horticultural.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK English, 'pot' often refers specifically to a teapot or a container for tea/coffee. In US English, 'pot' is the generic term for cooking vessels (what UK might call a 'saucepan'). 'Pot' for marijuana is common in both. The phrase 'pot luck' (shared meal) is more common in US English ('potluck dinner').
Connotations
In UK, 'the pot' can colloquially mean 'the pool of money' in poker. In both, 'pot' can imply something humble or basic (e.g., 'pot roast').
Frequency
The cooking vessel sense is extremely frequent in both varieties. The gambling sense ('pot' of money) is frequent in informal contexts globally.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[pot + noun] (pot plant, pot roast)[adjective + pot] (heavy pot, empty pot)[verb + pot] (make a pot of tea, win the pot)[pot + verb] (the pot boils, the pot contains)[pot + preposition] (pot on a windowsill, pot for cooking)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A watched pot never boils.”
- “Go to pot (deteriorate).”
- “Pot calling the kettle black.”
- “Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
- “Take a potshot at someone.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in metaphors like 'melting pot' of ideas or 'pot' for a company's cash reserve.
Academic
Used in archaeology (clay pots), chemistry (crucible pot), sociology ('melting pot' theory).
Everyday
Very high frequency for cooking, gardening, and making drinks.
Technical
In horticulture: 'to pot a plant'. In ceramics: a piece of pottery. In poker: the collective stakes.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I need to pot these seedlings before they get too big.
- He managed to pot the black to win the frame.
American English
- She potted the geraniums for the patio.
- In billiards, you score points by potting balls.
adjective
British English
- They served a lovely pot tea.
- He's a pot grower.
American English
- We're having a pot roast for Sunday dinner.
- It was just a casual potluck party.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She made a pot of soup.
- The flower pot is on the table.
- Would you like a pot of tea?
- He won the entire pot in the poker game.
- The country is a cultural melting pot.
- Be careful, the pot handle is hot.
- The politician took a potshot at his rival's policies.
- The startup's cash pot is running dangerously low.
- You need to pot the cuttings in fresh compost.
- The scandal caused the company's reputation to go to pot.
- His argument was essentially the pot calling the kettle black.
- Archaeologists unearthed a Bronze Age pot containing charred grains.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a POT of hot tea. The letters P-O-T can stand for 'Plant Or Tea' – two common things you find in a pot.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR MONEY/IDEAS (e.g., 'fund pot', 'melting pot'). SOURCE OF ABUNDANCE (e.g., 'pot of gold').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'горшок' which is primarily for flowers or chamber pots; for cooking, Russian often uses 'кастрюля' (saucepan) or 'котелок' (kettle/cauldron). 'Pot' is broader. The slang for marijuana ('трава', 'план') is a direct borrowing.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'pot' for a flat pan (use 'pan' or 'frying pan'). Confusing 'pot' (for plants) with 'vase' (for cut flowers). Using 'a pot' instead of 'a cup' of tea (you drink a cup *from* a pot).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'a watched pot never boils', what does 'pot' metaphorically represent?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is informal slang. More formal terms are 'cannabis' or 'marijuana'.
Generally, a pot has high, straight sides and is used for liquids (soup, boiling). A pan has lower, sloping sides and is used for frying or sautéing (frying pan, sauté pan).
Yes, primarily with two meanings: 1) to plant something in a pot ('pot a plant'), and 2) in billiards/snooker, to hit a ball into a pocket ('pot the black ball').
It refers to a meal where each guest brings a different dish of food to share. Common in social gatherings, especially in the US.