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• pot
  pot

  noun

  a container of earthenware, metal, etc., usually round and deep and having a handle or handles and often a lid, used for cooking, serving, and other purposes.
• pot.
  pot.

  abbreviation

  potential.

pot

¹ American  

[pot] / pɒt /

noun

1. a container of earthenware, metal, etc., usually round and deep and having a handle or handles and often a lid, used for cooking, serving, and other purposes.

2. such a container with its contents.

   a pot of stew.

3. the amount contained in or held by a pot; potful.

4. a flowerpot.

5. a container of liquor or other drink.

   a pot of ale.

6. liquor or other drink.

7. a cagelike vessel for trapping fish, lobsters, eels, etc., typically made of wood, wicker, or wire.

8. a chamber pot.

9. Metallurgy.

   1. a vessel for melting metal; melting pot.

   2. an electrolytic cell for reducing certain metals, as aluminum, from fused salts.

10. British.

    1. a chimney pot.

    2. Dialect. a basket or box used for carrying provisions or the like; a pannier.

11. Slang. a large sum of money.

12. all the money bet at a single time; pool.

13. British Slang. (in horse racing) the favorite.

14. a potshot.

15. a liquid measure, usually equal to a pint or quart.

16. Armor.

    1. an open, broad-brimmed helmet of the 17th century.

    2. any open helmet.

17. Slang. a potbelly.

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verb (used with object)

• pots,
  present (3rd person singular)
• potted,
  past participle,  past
• potting
  present participle

1. to put into a pot.

2. to preserve (food) in a pot.

3. to cook in a pot.

4. to transplant into a pot.

   We must pot the petunias.

5. Hunting.

   1. to shoot (game birds) on the ground or water, or (game animals) at rest, instead of in flight or running.

      He can't even pot a sitting duck.

   2. to shoot for food, not for sport.

6. Informal. to capture, secure, or win.

verb (used without object)

• pots,
  present (3rd person singular)
• potted,
  past participle,  past
• potting
  present participle

1. Informal. to take a potshot; shoot.

idioms

1. sweeten the pot, sweeten.

2. stir the pot, to promote instability or conflict, as by taunting, encouraging, or otherwise provoking the participants in an ongoing disagreement.

   Trolls on Twitter just want to stir the pot.

3. go to pot, to become ruined; deteriorate.

   With no one to care for it, the lovely old garden went to pot.

pot ² American  

[pot] / pɒt /

noun

Slang.

1. marijuana.

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pot ³ American  

[pot] / pɒt /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. a deep hole; pit.

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pot. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

Electricity.

1. potential.

2. potentiometer.

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pot ¹ British  

/ pɒt /

noun

1. a container made of earthenware, glass, or similar material; usually round and deep, often having a handle and lid, used for cooking and other domestic purposes

2. short for flowerpot teapot

3. the amount that a pot will hold; potful

4. a chamber pot, esp a small one designed for a baby or toddler

5. a handmade piece of pottery

6. a large mug or tankard, as for beer

7. any of various measures used for serving beer

8. informal a cup or trophy, esp of silver, awarded as a prize in a competition

9. the money or stakes in the pool in gambling games, esp poker

10. informal (often plural) a large amount, esp of money

11. a wicker trap for catching fish, esp crustaceans

    a lobster pot

12. billiards snooker a shot by which a ball is pocketed

13. short for chimneypot

14. informal a joint fund created by a group of individuals or enterprises and drawn upon by them for specified purposes

15. hunting See pot shot

16. See potbelly

17. to go to ruin; deteriorate

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verb

1. to set (a plant) in a flowerpot to grow

2. to put or preserve (goods, meat, etc) in a pot

3. to cook (food) in a pot

4. to shoot (game) for food rather than for sport

5. to shoot (game birds or animals) while they are on the ground or immobile rather than flying or running

6. (also intr) to shoot casually or without careful aim at (an animal, etc)

7. to sit (a baby or toddler) on a chamber pot

8. (also intr) to shape clay as a potter

9. billiards snooker to pocket (a ball)

10. informal to capture or win; secure

pot ² British  

/ pɒt /

noun

1. 1. dialect a deep hole or pothole

   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      Pen-y-Ghent Pot

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pot ³ British  

/ pɒt /

noun

1. slang cannabis used as a drug in any form, such as leaves (marijuana or hemp) or resin (hashish)

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pot ⁴ British  

/ pɒt /

noun

1. informal short for potentiometer

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pot More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing pot

• fish or cut bait (shit or get off the pot)
• go to pot
• hit the jackpot
• sweeten the kitty (pot)
• take potluck
• tempest in a teapot
• watched pot never boils

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• potlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• potting
  present
• potted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• pot
  simple
• pots
  simple
• have potted
  perfect
• has potted
  perfect
• am potting
  progressive
• are potting
  progressive
• is potting
  progressive
• have been potting
  perfect progressive
• has been potting
  perfect progressive

Past

• potted
  simple
• had potted
  perfect
• was potting
  progressive
• were potting
  progressive
• had been potting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will pot
  simple
• will have potted
  perfect
• will be potting
  progressive
• will have been potting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of pot¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English pott; cognate with Dutch, Low German pot, Old Icelandic pottr, Swedish pott, potta, Danish pot, potte; further origin uncertain

Origin of pot²

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; said to be a shortening of Mexican Spanish potiguaya or potaguaya, apparently contraction of potación de guaya wine or brandy in which marijuana buds have been steeped (literally, “drink of grief” )

Origin of pot³

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English potte, perhaps identical with pot ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pot pot. pots potted potting

Once everything is properly roasted, I add just enough broth to loosen the browned, sticky bits from the bottom of the pot.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

A Turkish city cooked up largest-ever pot of baked beans, but no giant hot dog to go with it.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

The secretary’s office has a large pot of discretionary money that it could have tapped for the cost, those people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

She got a yellow thermos like the one in the film, which, miraculously, never seems to run out of java, even when the coffee pot is busted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

The other burner holds a small cast-iron pot with the lid on.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

"There is an affability about him, but he's also not afraid of stirring the pot. He's very authentic and has a big personality without necessarily dominating the space."

From BBC ● May 14, 2025

“For all you non-Jews out there, a kochleffel is a ladle, a ladle that stirs the pot. And when Norman, the kochleffel, stirred that pot, he wound up changing American culture.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2024

And “it’s kind of nice to just make a pot. It’s a little bit more like I have control over this.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2023

“Even more than winning a huge pot. The real satisfying part is when you nail one like that.”

From New York Times ● Jan. 18, 2022

“Don’t let them stick to the bottom of the pot. I’m going into the living room and put my feet up and watch television like the Rockefellers.”

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Instead, more people in the UK now have what are called defined contribution pension pots, which can run out.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

This week, exasperated residents blocked the highway linking Tachira state to Barinas at night, banging pots and pans and honking horns in protest.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

The narrow walkway separating the parking lot from her front door is filled with planters and flower pots of all sizes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Before the full-scale war, her small business made outdoor furniture and ornaments such as benches, flower pots and wash basins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

“Just in time for supper,” declares the cook, and he begins to ladle pease porridge into the mess pots.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

Depicted with potted plants, ample relaxation room, and chic luggage storage under Saarinen tulip tables, the people mover, the video promises, “will perhaps be best known for its convenience and its feeling of luxury.”

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

One such element she shared in her posts is a large brown boucle and wood chair that sits atop a beige rug, alongside a large potted plant.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

That red was potted, but, out of position, Higgins then missed the following black, although it did not prove crucial as he sealed an incredible victory, having trailed 8-3 and 9-4.

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026

For readers enjoying their potted orchids at home, Mr. Haskell has a sobering message.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Shop signs swing toward the heat from their brackets; a potted hedge comes sliding across the rubble and capsizes.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Comedian Alan Carr has lodged plans to convert a potting shed at his castle in the Scottish Borders into a cafe and estate shop.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

She created Petersham Nurseries Café, with a dirt floor, wobbly old chairs, secondhand cooking gear installed in a former potting shed, and a simple menu based on whatever was growing in the adjacent garden.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 3, 2025

And it’s true that Anne, currently addicted to playing some farm game on her iPad and not using the potting shed, complete with kiln, that Nick built her, has let joy leak from her life.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2025

The players then traded frames, with Zhao breaking the right corner pocket potting the black while crafting an 86 to draw level at 4-4.

From BBC ● May 1, 2025

So I put a big sack of potting soil in the seat and try again.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Related Words

• basin
• bowl
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• can
• cup
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• mug
• pan
• saucepan
• urn
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