cup
cup
Pronunciation
/kʌp/.
cup:
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/ʌ/: Near-open central unrounded vowel
/p/: Voiceless bilabial stop
Word Form Variations
As a Noun:
Singular: cup (e.g., "I drank from a cup.")
Plural: cups (e.g., "She bought three new cups.")
As a Verb:
Base form/Present Simple (I/you/we/they): cup (e.g., "They cup their hands to catch the water.")
Present Simple (he/she/it): cups (e.g., "He cups his ear to hear better.")
Past Simple: cupped (e.g., "She cupped the bird gently in her hands.")
Past Participle: cupped (e.g., "The water was cupped in his hands.")
Present Participle (gerund): cupping (e.g., "He was cupping his hands around the flame.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
As a Noun
Definition: A small, typically bowl-shaped, open container with a handle, used for drinking beverages.
Synonyms: mug, tumbler, teacup, goblet, beaker
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a drinking vessel; one might consider things that are not containers, but that's not a true antonym.)
Definition: The amount of liquid or other substance that a cup can hold; a unit of measurement in cooking.
Synonyms: cupful, serving, portion
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a unit of measurement or an amount.)
Definition: A trophy, often in the shape of a large, decorative bowl or goblet with handles, awarded as a prize in a competition.
Synonyms: trophy, award, prize, chalice, laurel
Antonyms: forfeiture, penalty, loss
Definition: (Anatomy) Any cup-shaped part of the body, such as the socket of a joint or the hollow of the hand.
Synonyms: socket, hollow, cavity, concavity
Antonyms: protrusion, bulge, convex
Definition: A small, often ornamental, usually protective, covering for a specific body part, especially a jockstrap for athletic protection.
Synonyms: protector, guard, shield, cover
Antonyms: exposure, vulnerability, bareness
As a Verb
Definition: To form one's hands into the shape of a cup, typically to hold something or to amplify sound.
Synonyms: hollow, curve, scoop, cradle, ensconce
Antonyms: flatten, spread, uncup, release
Definition: To place (something) into a cup or cup-shaped container.
Synonyms: pour, transfer, decant, serve
Antonyms: empty, drain, extract, remove
Definition: (In sports, informal) To win a cup (trophy) in a competition.
Synonyms: win, secure, clinch, claim, triumph
Antonyms: lose, forfeit, surrender, yield
Examples of Use
Books:
"Harry took the cup of tea gratefully, the warmth spreading through his fingers as he watched the rain lash against the window." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
"She measured out two cups of flour, a pinch of salt, and a generous dollop of butter for the pie crust." (General cooking textbook/cookbook, e.g., Joy of Cooking)
Newspapers:
"Manchester United lifted the FA Cup for the 13th time after a thrilling final against rivals City." (Headline, The Guardian )
"Coffee cup recycling schemes are gaining traction in urban centers as environmental concerns mount." (Article, The New York Times )
Online Publications:
"Researchers are developing a new type of biodegradable cup made from seaweed to combat plastic waste." (Article, National Geographic Online )
"Google's new AI model can now identify objects with incredible precision, including distinguishing between a coffee cup and a mug." (Tech blog post, TechCrunch )
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "He picked up the ornate cup and examined it, a glint of suspicion in his eye." (Dialogue from a fantasy adventure film, e.g., Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
Television Series: "Can you cup your hands and try to catch some of this water?" (Instructional dialogue in a survival show, e.g., Man vs. Wild)
Music (Song Lyrics): "I'll cup my hands and drink the rain, if that's what it takes to ease the pain." (Figurative language in a folk song, e.g., Bob Dylan)
Video Games: "You've collected the Golden Cup! Your score has increased." (On-screen notification in a retro platformer game)
Podcasts: "We discuss the historical significance of the World Cup and its impact on global culture." (Topic on a sports history podcast)
General Public Discourse:
"Fancy a cup of coffee?" (Common social invitation)
"Could you fill this cup with water for me?" (Everyday request)
"He cupped his ear, trying to catch the whispered conversation." (Observation of a gesture)
"Our team really needs to win this cup to prove themselves." (Fan commentary about a sports tournament)
10 Famous Quotes Using Cup
"The cup of life is not so bitter as here we are told." (George Eliot, Adam Bede)
"My cup runneth over." (Psalm 23:5, King James Bible)
"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." (T.S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock")
"Fill your cup with what makes your soul sing." (Unknown)
"A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company." (Charles Evans Hughes, though often adapted to "The man in the glass" or "The man in the cup" in inspirational contexts about self-reflection)
"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, often metaphorically linked to filling one's own cup before others)
"To the last drop of our blood, to the last breath of our lives, to the last cup of coffee, we shall fight for freedom!" (Attributed to various revolutionary figures, emphasizing commitment)
"Life is like a cup of tea. It's all in how you make it." (Often attributed to various sources, emphasizing perspective)
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, where the "gutter" can be seen as an empty cup of opportunity, and the "stars" as hope)
"The cup of joy is not always full, but it can always be refilled." (Lesser-known inspirational quote, source often varied)
Etymology
The word "cup" has a long history, going back to the very early days of the English language.
Essentially, "cup" comes from Old English (the language spoken in England before 1066), where it was cuppe. This Old English word itself was borrowed from Late Latin cuppa, which meant "cup."
If we go even further back, cuppa likely came from the Latin word cupa, meaning "tub" or "cask" (a large barrel for liquids). And before that, the very distant ancestor of "cup" is believed to be a Proto-Indo-European root word, *kewp-, which generally meant "a hollow" or "a pit."
So, you can see a progression: from the idea of a "hollow" to a "tub" or "cask," and then specifically to a smaller "cup" for drinking.
The first known use of "cup" in English, with the meaning of "a small vessel used for drinking liquids," dates back to the Old English period (before 1150 AD). This means people have been using a version of "cup" to refer to drinking vessels for at least a thousand years!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cup
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "cup":
A cup of tea: Something one enjoys or finds agreeable (e.g., "That movie isn't really my cup of tea.").
To cup one's hands: To form one's hands into a hollow shape, often to hold liquid or to amplify sound.
To cup a feeling: (Lesser-known/Original) To gently and carefully hold onto an emotion or intuition.
To cup victory: (Lesser-known/Original) To be on the verge of winning; to have success within grasp.
Not my cup of coffee: (Synonym for "cup of tea") Something one dislikes or finds disagreeable.
To cup the market: (Lesser-known/Original) To dominate a specific market or niche, much like holding it within one's control.
To be in one's cups: To be drunk.
To drink from the same cup: To share a common experience, often a difficult one.
To cup a secret: (Lesser-known/Original) To guard a secret very closely.
A tempest in a teacup: A great fuss about a trivial matter.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cup from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
