carboys

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   Large, narrow-necked bottles or containers, usually made of glass or plastic, used for holding liquids.

   Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is 'carboy'. Use 'a carboy' or 'carboys' with numbers.

   Patterns

   • a carboy of something
   • carboys for something
   • fill a carboy

   The winery stored the fresh juice in five-gallon carboys.

   We need to clean the carboys before we fill them with the new batch of cider.

   She ordered two glass carboys for her home brewing setup.

2. 2nouncountabletechnicalchemistry

   Large containers of this type used in industrial or laboratory settings for transporting chemicals.

   Grammar: Countable; often used in plural when referring to multiple containers.

   Patterns

   • chemical carboys
   • acid carboys
   • carboys of something

   The lab received a shipment of acid carboys for the experiments.

   Workers wore protective gear while moving the heavy carboys of solvent.

   They stored the distilled water in plastic carboys near the sink.

Word forms

Common combinations

glass carboy

He prefers a glass carboy because it doesn't scratch easily.

plastic carboy

The plastic carboy is lighter and safer to handle.

five-gallon carboy

A five-gallon carboy is standard for home winemaking.

carboy of wine

They aged the wine in a carboy of oak.

Synonyms and how they differ

demijohn

A demijohn is a large bottle with a narrow neck, often wicker-covered, and is more common in British English for similar containers.

jug

A jug is a more general container for liquids, usually with a handle and wider mouth, not as specialized as a carboy.

Word family

carboy noun

The singular form, referring to one such container.

Commonly confused: carboys or carbon?

Practice

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