1. gallon(n = noun.quantity) gal - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters;
is a kind of united states liquid unit
is a part of barrel, bbl
has parts: quart
2. gallon(n = noun.quantity) congius, imperial gallon - a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters;
is a kind of british capacity unit, imperial capacity unit
is a part of barrel, bbl, bushel, firkin
has parts: quart
A measure of capacity, containing four quarts; -- used, for the most part, in liquid measure, but sometimes in dry measure. [1913 Webster]
" The standart gallon of the Unites States contains 231 cubic inches, or 8.3389 pounds avoirdupois of distilled water at its maximum density, and with the barometer at 30 inches. This is almost exactly equivalent to a cylinder of seven inches in diameter and six inches in height, and is the same as the old English wine gallon. The beer gallon, now little used in the United States, contains 282 cubic inches. The English imperial gallon contains 10 pounds avoirdupois of distilled water at 62" [1913 Webster]
gallon, n. 1 a (in full imperial gallon) Brit. a measure of capacity equal to eight pints and equivalent to 4546 cc, used for liquids and corn etc. b US a measure of capacity equivalent to 3785 cc, used for liquids.
2 (usu. in pl.) colloq. a large amount.
Derivative:
gallonage n.
Etymology:
ME f. ONF galon, OF jalon, f. base of med.L galleta, galletum, perh. of Celtic orig.