kettle

ket·tle

K0044300 (kĕt′l)n.1. A metal pot, usually with a lid, for boiling or stewing.2. A teakettle.3. Music A kettledrum.4. Geology A depression left in a mass of glacial drift, formed by the melting of an isolated block of glacial ice.5. A pothole.

[Middle English ketel, from Old Norse ketill and Old English cetel, both from Latin catīllus, diminutive of catīnus, large bowl.]

kettle

(ˈkɛtəl) n1. a metal or plastic container with a handle and spout for boiling water2. any of various metal containers for heating liquids, cooking fish, etc3. a large metal vessel designed to withstand high temperatures, used in various industrial processes such as refining and brewing4. (Law) informal Brit an enclosed space formed by a police cordon in order to contain people involved in a public demonstration 5. (Physical Geography) short for kettle holevb (Law) (tr) informal Brit (of a police force) to contain (people involved in a public demonstration) in an enclosed space[C13: from Old Norse ketill; related to Old English cietel kettle, Old High German kezzil; all ultimately from Latin catillus a little pot, from catīnus pot]

ket•tle

(ˈkɛt l)

n. 1. a container, usu. of metal, in which to boil liquids, cook foods, etc.; pot. 2. teakettle. 3. kettledrum. 4. kettle hole. 5. a gathering of soaring birds, as vultures, utilizing circular updrafts of warm air to gain elevation. [1300–50; Middle English ketel < Old Norse ketill, c. Old English c(i)etel, Old High German kezzil, Gothic katils « Latin catillus, diminutive of catīnus pot]

ket·tle

(kĕt′l) A steep, bowl-shaped hollow in ground once covered by a glacier. Kettles are believed to form when a block of ice left by a glacier becomes covered by sediments and later melts, leaving a hollow.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	kettle - a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lidboilerpot - metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lidteakettle - kettle for boiling water to make tea
	2.	kettle - the quantity a kettle will hold kettlefulcontainerful - the quantity that a container will hold
	3.	kettle - (geology) a hollow (typically filled by a lake) that results from the melting of a mass of ice trapped in glacial depositskettle holegeology - a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rockshollow, hole - a depression hollowed out of solid matter
	4.	kettle - a large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension on itkettledrum, timpani, tympani, tympanumpercussion instrument, percussive instrument - a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking another

Translations

壶水壶

kettle

(ˈketl) noun a metal pot, usually with a special part for pouring and a lid, for heating liquids. a kettle full of boiling water.水壶ˈkettledrum noun a type of drum made of a brass or copper bowl covered with a stretched skin etc. 半球形铜鼓，定音鼓

kettle

→ 壶zhCN

kettle

be a different kettle of fish

To be entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed. Steve: "So you like your first two roommates, but what about your third one?" Joe: "William? Oh, he's a different kettle of fish altogether." I suppose we could start looking at buying a house now that our baby is on the way, but that's an entirely different kettle of fish!See also: different, fish, kettle, of

be a whole other kettle of fish

To be entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed. Steve: "So you like your first two roommates, but what about your third one?" Joe: "William? Oh, he's a whole other kettle of fish." I suppose we could start looking at buying a house now that our baby is on the way, but that's a whole other kettle of fish!See also: fish, kettle, of, other, whole

a storm in a teakettle

A disproportionate reaction of anger, concern, or displeasure over some minor or trivial matter. (A less common variant of "a tempest in a teacup/teapot.") If you ask me, these protests are nothing but a storm in a teakettle that's been stoked by a media campaign of misinformation. I really think you're making a storm in a teakettle over this. It's just a tiny scratch on the car!See also: storm, teakettle

a tempest in a teakettle

A disproportionate reaction of anger, concern, or displeasure over some minor or trivial matter. (A less common variant of "a tempest in a teacup/teapot.") If you ask me, these protests are nothing but a tempest in a teakettle that's been stoked by a media campaign of misinformation. I really think you're making a tempest in a teakettle over this. It's just a tiny scratch on the car!See also: teakettle, tempest

a watched kettle never boils

When you want something to happen, paying too much attention to it will make the wait feel much longer. A variant of the more common expression "a watched pot never boils." Would you stop refreshing the page? The results will be posted soon enough, and a watched kettle never boils! You should do something with your time isntead of just sitting there waiting for the doctor to call. A watched kettle never boils, after all.See also: boil, kettle, never, watch

fine kettle of fish

A difficult or awkward situation; a mess. Primarily heard in US. Well, that's a fine kettle of fish. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week.See also: fine, fish, kettle, of

pretty kettle of fish

A difficult or awkward situation; a mess. Primarily heard in US. Well, that's a pretty kettle of fish. I thought I paid the credit card bill, but it turns out that I missed the due date by a week.See also: fish, kettle, of, pretty

be another kettle of fish

To be entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed. A: "So you like your first two roommates, but what about your third one?" B: "William? Oh, he's another kettle of fish altogether." I suppose we should start looking at buying a house now that our baby is on the way, but that's another kettle of fish!See also: another, fish, kettle, of

the pot calling the kettle black

A situation in which a person accuses someone of or criticizes someone for something that they themselves are guilty of. You're judging me for wearing revealing clothing to a party? That's the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think? The senator accused the newspaper of misrepresenting the facts, which many people have pointed out is the pot calling the kettle black.See also: black, calling, kettle, pot

another kettle of fish

Entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed. A: "So you like your first two roommates, but what about your third one?" B: "William? Oh, he's another kettle of fish altogether." I suppose we should start looking at buying a house now that our baby is on the way, but that's another kettle of fish!See also: another, fish, kettle, of

different kettle of fish

Entirely different in scope or description from someone or something that was just being discussed. Steve: "So you like your first two roommates, but what about your third one?" Joe: "William? Oh, he's a different kettle of fish altogether." I suppose we could start looking at buying a house now that our baby is on the way, but that's an entirely different kettle of fish!See also: different, fish, kettle, of

the pot is calling the kettle black

Someone is accusing or criticizing someone else for some flaw, fault, or misdeed that they themselves are guilty of as well. You're judging me for wearing revealing clothing to a party? Wow, the pot's calling the kettle black! The senator accused the newspaper of misrepresenting the facts, many were quick to point out that the pot was calling the kettle black.See also: black, calling, kettle, pot

fine kettle of fish

Fig. a troublesome situation; a vexing problem. (Usually appears in the expression, This is a fine kettle of fish!) This is a fine kettle of fish. My husband is not here to meet me at the train station, and there's no phone here for me to call him. Alan: Oh, no! I've burned the roast. We don't have anything to serve our guests as a main dish. Jane: But they'll be here any minute! This is a fine kettle of fish.See also: fine, fish, kettle, of

pot is calling the kettle black

and that's the pot calling the kettle blackProv. You should not criticize someone for a fault that you have too. (Not polite to say about the person you are addressing.) Bill told Barbara she was sloppy, but Bill never cleans up after himself, either. That's the pot calling the kettle black. My sister says I dress funny, but if you've seen some of the clothes she wears, you know it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black.See also: black, calling, kettle, pot

kettle of fish

1. Also, a fine or pretty kettle of fish . An unpleasant or messy predicament, as in They haven't spoken in years, and they're assigned to adjoining seats-that's a fine kettle of fish . This term alludes to the Scottish riverside picnic called kettle of fish, where freshly caught salmon were boiled and eaten out of hand. [Early 1700s] 2. a different or another kettle of fish . A very different matter or issue, not necessarily a bad one. For example, They're paying for the meal? That's a different kettle of fish. [First half of 1900s] See also: fish, kettle, of

pot calling the kettle black, the

Accusing someone of faults that one has oneself, as in Tom's criticizing Dexter for dubious line calls is a case of the pot calling the kettle black, since Tom's about the worst line judge I've ever seen . This expression dates from the days of open-hearth cooking, which blackens practically all the utensils used. [Early 1600s] See also: calling, kettle, pot

a different kettle of fish

another kettle of fish

BRITISHCOMMON You say that something is a different kettle of fish or another kettle of fish to emphasize that it is completely unlike another thing that you are mentioning. Artistic integrity? Who needs it? Money? Now that's a completely different kettle of fish. Howard was a sweetheart. But Clarisse was another kettle of fish.See also: different, fish, kettle, of

a pretty kettle of fish

a fine kettle of fish

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONEDIf you describe a situation as a pretty kettle of fish or a fine kettle of fish, you mean that it is difficult or unpleasant. Well, this is a pretty kettle of fish, as Queen Mary said. Note: `Kettle' in these expressions may come from `kiddle'. Kiddles were baskets or nets which were laid in streams and rivers to catch fish. Alternatively, `kettle' may refer to a fish kettle, which is a long narrow saucepan that is used for cooking fish. See also: fish, kettle, of, pretty

the pot calling the kettle black

If you talk about the pot calling the kettle black, you mean that a person who has accused someone of having a fault has the same fault themselves. His accusations must have sounded like the pot calling the kettle black. Note: People often vary this expression. For the government to speak of press lies is a pot and kettle situation. Note: In the past, both pots and kettles were hung over fires, and would be burned black. See also: black, calling, kettle, pot

a different kettle of fish

a completely different matter or type of person from the one previously mentioned. informal 1993 Empire Meryl is the finest actress of her generation but Arnold is, er, a different kettle of fish. See also: different, fish, kettle, of

a pretty (or fine) kettle of fish

an awkward state of affairs. informal In late 18th-century Scotland, a kettle of fish was a large saucepan of fish, typically freshly caught salmon, cooked at Scottish picnics, and the term was also applied to the picnic itself. By the mid 18th century, the novelist Henry Fielding was using the phrase to mean ‘a muddle’.See also: fish, kettle, of, pretty

the pot calling the kettle black

someone making criticisms about someone else which could equally well apply to themselves. 1998 Times Yet as Guardian insiders point out, the pot can't call the kettle black. She can't cry foul when subjected to fair and standard competition. See also: black, calling, kettle, pot

a different kettle of ˈfish

(informal) a person or thing that is completely different from somebody/something else previously mentioned: You may be able to read French well, but speaking it fluently is a different kettle of fish entirely.A kettle in this idiom is a pan in which you can cook a whole fish.See also: different, fish, kettle, of

the ˌpot calling the kettle ˈblack

(saying, informal) used to say that you should not criticize somebody for a fault that you have yourself: ‘You haven’t done any work all morning.’ ‘Neither have you! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!’When cooking was done over a fire, the smoke made cooking pots turn black.See also: black, calling, kettle, pot

kettle of fish, a fine/pretty

A messy predicament. This term is believed to come from a Scottish custom of holding a riverside picnic, itself called a “kettle of fish,” where freshly caught live salmon are thrown into a kettle boiling over an open fire and then are eaten out of hand, definitely a messy procedure. Sir Walter Scott described just such a picnic in St. Ronan’s Well (1824), but the transfer to other kinds of messy predicament had already occurred in the early eighteenth century. The term appears in Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews (1742) and works by Dickens, Hardy, Shaw, and many others, but it may now be dying out, at least in America.See also: fine, kettle, of, pretty

pot calling the kettle black, the

Accusing a person of faults one has oneself. The term dates from times when most cooking was done over open hearths, where the smoke tended to blacken any kind of utensil being used. The earliest references to this saying in print date from the early seventeenth century. Among the blunter versions is John Clarke’s of 1639: “The pot calls the pan burnt-arse.” A modern and more straightforward equivalent is Look who’s talking, which William Safire believes is derived from the Yiddish kuk nor ver s’ret. In Britain, put as listen who’s talking, it dates from the second half of the twentieth century.See also: calling, kettle, pot

pretty kettle of fish

Irritating or embarrassing situation. The Scottish tradition of community fish-boil dinners often degenerated in brawls, to the extent that people began to refer to the events by this sarcastic phrase. Fish-boils may have evaporated, but the expression and the sarcasm haven't.See also: fish, kettle, of, pretty

kettle

ket·tle

kettle

ket•tle

ket·tle

kettle

kettle

kettle

be a different kettle of fish

be a whole other kettle of fish

a storm in a teakettle

a tempest in a teakettle

a watched kettle never boils

fine kettle of fish

pretty kettle of fish

be another kettle of fish

the pot calling the kettle black

another kettle of fish

different kettle of fish

the pot is calling the kettle black

fine kettle of fish

pot is calling the kettle black

kettle of fish

pot calling the kettle black, the

a different kettle of fish

another kettle of fish

a pretty kettle of fish

a fine kettle of fish

the pot calling the kettle black

a different kettle of fish

a pretty (or fine) kettle of fish

the pot calling the kettle black

a different kettle of ˈfish

the ˌpot calling the kettle ˈblack

kettle of fish, a fine/pretty

pot calling the kettle black, the

pretty kettle of fish

kettle

kettle,

kettle

kettle

Synonyms for kettle

noun a metal pot for stewing or boiling

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noun the quantity a kettle will hold

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noun (geology) a hollow (typically filled by a lake) that results from the melting of a mass of ice trapped in glacial deposits

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noun a large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension on it

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Related Words