A gallon is a unit of measurement for liquids that is equal to eight pints. In Britain, it is equal to 4.564 litres. In America, it is equal to 3.785 litres.
...80 million gallons of water a day. [+ of]
...a gasoline tax of 4.3 cents a gallon.
gallon in British English
(ˈɡælən)
noun
1. Also called: imperial gallon British
a unit of capacity equal to 277.42 cubic inches. 1 Brit gallon is equivalent to 1.20 US gallons or 4.55 litres
2. US
a unit of capacity equal to 231 cubic inches. 1 US gallon is equivalent to 0.83 imperial gallon or 3.79 litres
3. (plural)
great quantities
Word origin
C13: from Old Northern French galon (Old French jalon), perhaps of Celtic origin
gallon in American English
(ˈgælən)
noun
1.
a.
a unit of liquid measure, equal to 4 liquid quarts (3.7854 liquid liters): the British and Canadian imperial gallon equals 4.54596 liquid liters
b.
a unit of dry measure, equal to 1⁄2 peck or 4 dry quarts (4.4048 dry liters or 0.1556 cubic foot)
abbrev. gal
2.
any container with a capacity of one gallon
Word origin
ME galoun < NormFr galon < OFr jalon < VL *gallone < stem of LL galleta, a jug
Examples of 'gallon' in a sentence
gallon
There would have been no escape as more than sixty gallons of aviation fuel ignited.
Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell FRANKIE: The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori (2004)
How many gallons of fuel does it leak per hour?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Always carry a gallon can of fuel.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Take the calories from burning a gallon of petrol.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And most drivers still work out how much petrol costs in gallons.
The Sun (2008)
The 2,000 gallons of fuel on board were not thought to be an environmental risk.
The Sun (2012)
American vehicles consume some 133 billion gallons of gasoline each year.
Goddard, Stephen B. Getting There: The Epic Struggle between Road and Rail in the American Century (1994)
But by then the remains of the plane were an inferno brought on by upwards of sixty gallons of fuel spilling from the ruptured tanks.
Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell FRANKIE: The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori (2004)
Though their blubber is very thin, some of these whales will yield you upwards of thirty gallons of oil.
Herman Melville Moby Dick (1901)
Families will be hit by the 5 gallon of petrol for the first time thanks to rising oil prices and rocketing duty.
The Sun (2008)
MORE than 60 gallons of radioactive liquid has spilled from a nuclear submarine into a river.
The Sun (2008)
Work on pumping out the liner's 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel began yesterday.
The Sun (2012)
Thirty planes on deck carried 12,000 gallons of fuel, all of which burned or exploded.
Max Hastings Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 194445 (2007)
The 747 burns about 12 gallons of fuel per minute when cruising.
Christianity Today (2000)
At full chat, they'll burn half a gallon of fuel in one mile.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In March 200,000 gallons of oil spilled from one pipe.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Thousands of gallons of petrol have been smuggled to Iran's neighbours where prices are higher.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Meanwhile, work to drain 500,000 gallons of fuel on board to remove an environmental threat is nearing completion.
The Sun (2012)
He said this could result in up to 1.7 million gallons of oil a day gushing into the Arctic throughout the winter.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
gallon
British English: gallon NOUN
A gallon is a unit of measurement for liquids that is equal to eight pints or 4.564 litres.
...80 million gallons of water a day.
American English: gallon
Brazilian Portuguese: galãoBrit = 4.5 litros, US = 3.8 litros
Chinese: 加仑 >液体计量单位，合八品脱或3.785升
European Spanish: galón= 8 pintas; Brit = 4,546 litros; US = 3,785 litros
French: gallon4,543 litres
German: Gallone
Italian: galloneBrit = 4.543 l; 8 pints; US = 3.785 l
Japanese: ガロン
Korean: 갤런
European Portuguese: galão Brit = 4.5 litros, US = 3.8 litros
Latin American Spanish: galón= 8 pintas; Brit = 4,546 litros; US = 3,785 litros
Chinese translation of 'gallon'
gallon
(ˈɡæln)
n(c)
(= 8 pints; BRIT = 4.5l; US = 3.8l) 加仑(侖) (jiālún)