tinnie

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformalAustralian

   a small metal container for beer or other drinks; a can of beer

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a tinnie' or 'two tinnies'. It is mainly used in Australian English.

   Patterns

   • a tinnie of beer
   • crack open a tinnie
   • a cold tinnie

   He grabbed a tinnie from the fridge and sat on the porch.

   We bought a few tinnies for the barbecue on Saturday.

   After work, they often share a tinnie at the local pub.

2. 2nouncountableinformalAustralian

   a small light boat, often made of aluminum, used for fishing or short trips

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a tinnie' or 'several tinnies'. This sense is also mainly Australian.

   Patterns

   • go out in a tinnie
   • a fishing tinnie
   • row a tinnie

   They took the tinnie out on the lake to catch some fish.

   My grandfather keeps his old tinnie tied up at the jetty.

   A small tinnie is perfect for exploring the river.

Word forms

Common combinations

a cold tinnie

Nothing beats a cold tinnie after a hot day.

crack open a tinnie

He cracked open a tinnie and offered one to his mate.

a tinnie of beer

She bought a tinnie of beer for the train ride.

go out in a tinnie

We went out in a tinnie to watch the sunset.

Synonyms and how they differ

can

This is the general English word for a metal drink container; 'tinnie' is the Australian informal equivalent.

tinny

This is a variant spelling of the same word, but 'tinny' can also mean 'having a metallic sound', so 'tinnie' is clearer for the drink or boat.

Word family

tin noun

a metal container or the metal itself

tinny adjective

having a thin, metallic sound

Commonly confused: tinnie or tinny?

Practice

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