tub

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

tub, n. [OE. tubbe; of Dutch or Low German origin; cf. LG. tubbe, D. tobbe.].

•  An open wooden vessel formed with staves, bottom, and hoops; a kind of short cask, half barrel, or firkin, usually with but one head, -- used for various purposes.  [1913 Webster]
•  The amount which a tub contains, as a measure of quantity; as, a tub of butter; a tub of camphor, which is about 1 cwt., etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any structure shaped like a tub: as, a certain old form of pulpit; a short, broad boat, etc., -- often used jocosely or opprobriously.  [1913 Webster]

  "All being took up and busied, some in pulpits and some in tubs, in the grand work of preaching and holding forth."  [1913 Webster]
•  A sweating in a tub; a tub fast.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  A small cask; as, a tub of gin.  [1913 Webster]
•  A box or bucket in which coal or ore is sent up a shaft; -- so called by miners.  [1913 Webster]

Tub fast, an old mode of treatment for the venereal disease, by sweating in a close place, or tub, and fasting. [Obs.] Shak. -- Tub wheel, a horizontal water wheel, usually in the form of a short cylinder, to the circumference of which spiral vanes or floats, placed radially, are attached, turned by the impact of one or more streams of water, conducted so as to strike against the floats in the direction of a tangent to the cylinder.

tub, v. t. 

 To plant or set in a tub; as, to tub a plant.  [1913 Webster]

tub, v. i. 

 To make use of a bathing tub; to lie or be in a bath; to bathe.  [1913 Webster]
"Don't we all tub in England ?"  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tub, n. & v.
--n.
1 an open flat-bottomed usu. round container for various purposes.
2 a tub-shaped (usu. plastic) carton.
3 the amount a tub will hold.
4 colloq. a bath.
5 a colloq. a clumsy slow boat. b a stout roomy boat for rowing practice.
6 (in mining) a container for conveying ore, coal, etc.
--v. (tubbed, tubbing)
1 tr. & intr. plant, bathe, or wash in a tub.
2 tr. enclose in a tub.
3 tr. line (a mine-shaft) with a wooden or iron casing.

Idiom

tub chair a chair with solid arms continuous with a usu. semicircular back. tub-thumper colloq. a ranting preacher or orator. tub-thumping colloq. ranting oratory.

Derivative

tubbable adj. tubbish adj. tubful n. (pl. -fuls).

Etymology

ME, prob. of LG or Du. orig.: cf. MLG, MDu. tubbe

THESAURUS

tub

Finnish bath, Japanese bath, Russian bath, Swedish bath, Turkish bath, aquamanile, argosy, auto, autocar, automatic dishwasher, automobile, baptize, bark, basin, bath, bathe, bathtub, bidet, blimp, boat, bottom, bowl, bucket, buggy, bus, car, catch basin, cereal bowl, cistern, cold shower, craft, crate, dishpan, dishwasher, douche, dumpling, ewer, fatty, finger bowl, flush, flush out, gargle, gravy boat, heap, heavy, heavyweight, hip bath, hippo, holystone, hooker, hulk, hull, hummum, irrigate, jalopy, keel, kitchen sink, lather, launder, lavabo, lavatory, lave, leviathan, lump, machine, mop, mop up, motor, motor vehicle, motorcar, motorized vehicle, needle bath, packet, piscina, plunge bath, porringer, potbelly, punch bowl, rinse, rinse out, ritually immerse, roly-poly, salad bowl, sauce boat, sauna, sauna bath, scour, scrub, scrub up, shampoo, ship, shower, shower bath, shower curtain, shower head, shower room, shower stall, showers, sink, sitz bath, sluice, sluice out, soap, sponge, sponge bath, swab, swagbelly, sweat bath, syringe, terrine, toivel, trough, tub of lard, tun, tureen, vat, vessel, voiture, wash, wash barrel, wash boiler, wash out, wash up, washbasin, washbowl, washdish, washer, washing machine, washing pot, washpot, washstand, washtub, watercraft, wheels, whirlpool bath, wreck

ROGET THESAURUS

tub

Receptacle

N receptacle, inclosure, recipient, receiver, reservatory, compartment, cell, cellule, follicle, hole, corner, niche, recess, nook, crypt, stall, pigeonhole, cove, oriel, cave, capsule, vesicle, cyst, pod, calyx, cancelli, utricle, bladder, pericarp, udder, stomach, paunch, venter, ventricle, crop, craw, maw, gizzard, breadbasket, mouth, pocket, pouch, fob, sheath, scabbard, socket, bag, sac, sack, saccule, wallet, cardcase, scrip, poke, knit, knapsack, haversack, sachel, satchel, reticule, budget, net, ditty bag, ditty box, housewife, hussif, saddlebags, portfolio, quiver, chest, box, coffer, caddy, case, casket, pyx, pix, caisson, desk, bureau, reliquary, trunk, portmanteau, band-box, valise, grip, grip sack, skippet, vasculum, boot, imperial, vache, cage, manger, rack, vessel, vase, bushel, barrel, canister, jar, pottle, basket, pannier, buck-basket, hopper, maund, creel, cran, crate, cradle, bassinet, wisket, whisket, jardiniere, corbeille, hamper, dosser, dorser, tray, hod, scuttle, utensil, brazier, cuspidor, spittoon, cistern, vat, caldron, barrel, cask, drum, puncheon, keg, rundlet, tun, butt, cag, firkin, kilderkin, carboy, amphora, bottle, jar, decanter, ewer, cruse, caraffe, crock, kit, canteen, flagon, demijohn, flask, flasket, stoup, noggin, vial, phial, cruet, caster, urn, epergne, salver, patella, tazza, patera, pig gin, big gin, tyg, nipperkin, pocket pistol, tub, bucket, pail, skeel, pot, tankard, jug, pitcher, mug, pipkin, galipot, gallipot, matrass, receiver, retort, alembic, bolthead, capsule, can, kettle, bowl, basin, jorum, punch bowl, cup, goblet, chalice, tumbler, glass, rummer, horn, saucepan, skillet, posnet, tureen, beaker, flask, Erlenmeyer flask, Florence flask, round-bottom flask, graduated cylinder, test tube, culture tube, pipette, Pasteur pipette, disposable pipette, syringe, vial, carboy, vacuum flask, Petri dish, microtiter tray, centrifuge tube, bail, beaker, billy, canakin, catch basin, catch drain, chatti, lota, mussuk, schooner, spider, terrine, toby, urceus, plate, platter, dish, trencher, calabash, porringer, potager, saucer, pan, crucible, glassware, tableware, vitrics, compote, gravy boat, creamer, sugar bowl, butter dish, mug, pitcher, punch bowl, chafing dish, shovel, trowel, spoon, spatula, ladle, dipper, tablespoon, watch glass, thimble, closet, commode, cupboard, cellaret, chiffonniere, locker, bin, bunker, buffet, press, clothespress, safe, sideboard, drawer, chest of drawers, chest on chest, highboy, lowboy, till, scrutoire, secretary, secretaire, davenport, bookcase, cabinet, canterbury, escritoire, etagere, vargueno, vitrine, chamber, apartment, room, cabin, office, court, hall, atrium, suite of rooms, apartment, flat, story, saloon, salon, parlor, by-room, cubicle, presence chamber, sitting room, best room, keeping room, drawing room, reception room, state room, gallery, cabinet, closet, pew, box, boudoir, adytum, sanctum, bedroom, dormitory, refectory, dining room, salle-a-manger, nursery, schoolroom, library, study, studio, billiard room, smoking room, den, stateroom, tablinum, tenement, bath room, bathroom, toilet, lavatory, powder room, john, jakes, necessary, loo, men's room, ladies' room, rest room, (uncleanness), 653 attic, loft, garret, cockloft, clerestory, cellar, vault, hold, cockpit, cubbyhole, cook house, entre-sol, mezzanine floor, ground floor, rez-de-chaussee, basement, kitchen, pantry, bawarchi-khana, scullery, offices, storeroom, lumber room, dairy, laundry, coach house, garage, hangar, outhouse, penthouse, lean-to, portico, porch, stoop, stope, veranda, patio, lanai, terrace, deck, lobby, court, courtyard, hall, vestibule, corridor, passage, breezeway, ante room, ante chamber, lounge, piazza, veranda, conservatory, greenhouse, bower, arbor, summerhouse, alcove, grotto, hermitage, lodging, bed, carriage, capsular, saccular, sacculated, recipient, ventricular, cystic, vascular, vesicular, cellular, camerated, locular, multilocular, polygastric, marsupial, siliquose, siliquous.