noun1. a container, esp for liquids, usually of thin sheet metal
a petrol can
a beer can
2. another name (esp US) for tin (sense 2)
3. Also called: canful the contents of a can or the amount a can will hold
4. a slang word for prison
5. US and Canadian a slang word for toilet (sense 1)
6. US and Canadian slang the buttocks
7. US navy a slang word for destroyer
8. navy slang a depth charge
9. a shallow cylindrical metal container of varying size used for storing and handling film
10. can of worms
11. carry the can
12. in the can
13. kick the can down the road
verbWord forms: cans, canning or canned14. to put (food, etc) into a can or cans; preserve in a can
15. (transitive) US slang to dismiss from a job
16. (transitive) US informal to stop (doing something annoying or making an annoying noise) (esp in the phrase can it!)
17. (transitive) informal to reject or discard
Word origin
Old English
canne; related to Old Norse, Old High German
kanna, Irish
gann, Swedish
kana sled