tin can

American  

noun

1. can.

2. U.S. Navy Slang. a destroyer.

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tin can British  

noun

1. a metal food container, esp when empty

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Etymology

Origin of tin can

An Americanism dating back to 1760–70

Example Sentences

Residents have responded in kind, posting a picture of a tin can phone to signal their slide back to the pre-digital age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

From the outside, the Team Associated trailer looked like a glorified tin can, but inside it was furnished with crisp white shelving and a treasure trove of motor parts.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025

Movies to be watched on planes, making bearable the three or nine hours spent in a tin can, squashed on all sides, munching tiny pretzels and trying not to order yet another gin and tonic.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2024

To imagine why these issues arise, picture yourself in a tin can with a small crew, a deadly environment outside, a monotonous schedule, an unnatural daytime-nighttime cycle and mission controllers constantly on your case.

From Scientific American • Sep. 19, 2023

Donay, squatting, adjusts our tin can of rice, which hangs over the fire on a piece of wire.

From "Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti" by Frances Temple