Firkin

Firkin

A Firkin is an old English unit of volume. The name is derived from the Middle Dutch word "vierdekijn," which means fourth, i.e. a fourth of a full-size barrel.

Nor need you mind the serial ordeal
Of being watched from forty cellar holes
As if by eye pairs out of forty firkins.
— Robert Frost, "Directive"
For beer and ale a firkin is equal to nine imperial gallons or a quarter of a barrel (40.91481 litres). Casks in this size (themselves called firkins) are the most common container for cask ale.

For wine the firkin had a larger size, namely a third of a tun. A tun being 210 gallons in the UK and 252 fluid gallons in the US, thus a wine firkin is about 318 L (318.226 or 317.975). It is also called "tertian" or, preferably, puncheon (in the US also shortened to "pon").

Butter and soap used to be sold by the firkin, too. In these cases it was rather a measure of mass, 56 lb (25.4 kg) and 64 lb (29.0 kg) respectively.

The term "firkin" is currently used to refer to antique wooden buckets, usually with wood handle and lid, about 10 inches (250 mm) high and 10 inches in diameter (about 10L or 2-3 dry gallons in capacity), formerly used to store sugar and other items.

The firkin (a firkin of water) is the base unit of mass in the humorous FFF System.


References

* [http://www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn?stage=1&word=firkin Web WordNet]


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  • Firkin — Fir kin, n. [From AS. fe[ o]wer four (or an allied word, perh. Dutch or Danish) + kin. See {Four}.] 1. A varying measure of capacity, usually being the fourth part of a barrel; specifically, a measure equal to nine imperial gallons. [Eng.] [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Firkin — (spr. Förkin) englisches Biermaß = 40,891 Litres …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Firkin — (spr. för ), engl. Biermaß, = 9, für Ale in Nordamerika und den brit. Kolonien = 8 Gallons; auch Gewicht für Butter, Käse und Seife = 56, für weiche Seife = 64 Pfund Avoirdupois …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Firkin — (spr. för ), altes engl. Maß für Ale = 8 Gallons (37 l), Porter = 9 Gallons (41,6 l); jetziges Biermaß zu 9 Imperial Gallons = 40,89 l; altes Gewicht für Butter = 56 engl. Handelspfund (25,4 kg), Seife = 64 Handelspfund (29 kg) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Firkin — Firkin, engl. Biermaß, für Ale = 18314/5, für Porter = 20604/5 Par. Kubikzoll …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • firkin — small cask, fourth part of a barrel, late 14c., apparently from M.Du. *vierdekijn, dim. of vierde, lit. fourth, fourth part (see FOURTH (Cf. fourth)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • firkin — [fʉr′kin] n. [ME, contr. < firdekyn < MDu, dim. of vierdel, fourth] 1. a small, wooden tub for butter, lard, etc. 2. a unit of capacity equal to 1/ 4 barrel …   English World dictionary

  • Firkin — Der (das[1]) Firkin war ein englisches Volumen und Gewichtsmaß und hatte als Flüssigkeitsmaß bei Bier zwei verschiedene Größen. Abhängig war das Maß von der Bierart. Den Unterschied bestimmte das Weizenbier (Alen) oder Gerstenbier (Porter). Die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • firkin — (fir)    1. a traditional unit of volume equal to 1/4 barrel or 1/2 kilderkin. Since barrels are of various sizes, the capacity of a firkin varies. Based on the standard U.S. barrel of 31.5 gallons, a firkin would equal 7.875 gallons, 1.05 cubic… …   Dictionary of units of measurement

  • firkin — noun /ˈfɜː(r)kɪn/ a) A varying measure of capacity, usually being the fourth part of a barrel; specifically, a measure equal to nine imperial gallons. [Eng.] 23 Hen. VIII, cap. 4... The barrel of beer is to hold 36 gallons, the kilderkin 18… …   Wiktionary

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