cup meaning

cup as a noun

1. a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
   • he put the cup back in the saucer
   • the handle of the cup was missing

   Type of: crockery, container

   Kinds: beaker, chalice, coffee cup, Dixie cup, grace cup, kylix, mustache cup, scyphus, teacup

2. the quantity a cup will hold
   • he drank a cup of coffee
   • he borrowed a cup of sugar

   Synonyms: cupful

   Type of: containerful

3. any cup-shaped concavity
   • bees filled the waxen cups with honey
   • he wore a jock strap with a metal cup
   • the cup of her bra

   Type of: concave shape

4. a United States liquid unit equal to 8 fluid ounces

   Type of: United States liquid unit

5. cup-shaped plant organ

   Type of: plant organ

   Kinds: cupule

6. a punch served in a pitcher instead of a punch bowl

   Type of: punch

   Kinds: champagne cup, claret cup

7. the hole (or metal container in the hole) on a golf green
   • he swore as the ball rimmed the cup and rolled away
   • put the flag back in the cup

   Type of: hole

8. a large metal vessel with two handles that is awarded as a trophy to the winner of a competition
   • the school kept the cups is a special glass case

   Synonyms: loving cup

   Type of: trophy

   Kinds: Davis Cup

cup as a verb

1. form into the shape of a cup
   • She cupped her hands

   Type of: shape

2. put into a cup
   • cup the milk

   Type of: insert

3. treat by applying evacuated cups to the patient's skin

   Synonyms: transfuse

   Type of: treat

   Related forms: cupping

How to pronounce cup

cup is pronounced /kʌp/ in British English and /kʌp/ in American English. It has 1 syllable.

Words that rhyme with cup

• pup
• closeup
• sup