hogshead
Americannoun
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a large cask, especially one containing from 63 to 140 gallons (238 to 530 liters).
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any of various units of liquid measure, especially one equivalent to 63 gallons (238 liters). hhd
noun
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a unit of capacity, used esp for alcoholic beverages. It has several values, being 54 imperial gallons in the case of beer and 52.5 imperial gallons in the case of wine
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a large cask used for shipment of wines and spirits
Etymology
Origin of hogshead
1350–1400; Middle English hoggeshed, literally, hog's head; unexplained
Explanation
A hogshead is either a large cask that holds liquid, or a unit of liquid measurement. The owner of a pub might order a few extra hogsheads of cider on a particularly busy weekend. The term hogshead is almost always used for beer, ale, or wine — although you can use it as a unit of measurement for anything that comes in a big wooden barrel. A wine hogshead is about 79 gallons, but there tends to be some variation on the exact amount. During the colonial era, traders used a tobacco hogshead for both measuring and transporting, and in the 19th century, a sugar hogshead was a common measurement in the American South.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Named as defendants in Little’s lawsuit, along with Hogshead, are Champion Women and the group’s COO, Alistair Casey.
From Salon • Mar. 16, 2025
The Little complaint lays out the same basic facts of the 2022 Salon article, but adds the charge that Hogshead falsely and damagingly piggybacked on SafeSport’s retaliatory investigation of Little, one of its leading critics.
From Salon • Mar. 16, 2025
Reuters could not find corporate registrations for two companies where Brown said on LinkedIn he had been an adviser or partner: Hong Kong-based Hogshead Spouter and Hawaii-based Kona Private Capital.
From Reuters • Apr. 8, 2023
Hogshead was questioned for hours at a September meeting convened by the Hurricane Response and Recovery committee.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2022
Dear Tess, keep up your Spirits, and we mean to send you a Hogshead of Cyder for you Wedding, knowing there is not much in your parts, and thin Sour Stuff what there is.
From Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Hardy, Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
