container
/kənˈteɪnə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈteɪnər/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈtā-nər/ (ame, mw)
container — noun
- containersingular
- containersplural
1. An object that is designed so that things can be placed inside it, kept there, a
An object that is designed so that things can be placed inside it, kept there, and often moved from place to place — for example, a glass jar for jam, a plastic tub for leftovers, or a cardboard box for packing belongings.
Nila poured the leftover soup into a plastic container and put it in the fridge.
collocation: plastic container
All glass containers should be rinsed before they are put into the recycling bin.
adjective + container: glass containers
The kitchen shelf was full of containers in every shape and size.
Asher always takes his lunch to work in a reusable container instead of buying food outside.
- receptacle
much more formal; mostly used in technical, scientific, or written contexts
- holder
emphasises the function of keeping something in place; often smaller (e.g. a phone holder, a cup holder)
- vessel
typically for liquids, or used in formal / poetic language; rarely used for everyday objects
用法筆記
Use 'container of [noun]' to describe what is inside — for example, 'a container of milk' or 'a container of flour.' Do not use 'container' without 'of' when specifying contents: say 'a container of rice,' not 'a container rice.'
常見錯誤
2. A very large, strong metal box built to a standard size so that it can be filled
A very large, strong metal box built to a standard size so that it can be filled with goods and moved by ship, train, or truck without the contents being unpacked during the journey.
The ship was loaded with hundreds of metal containers stacked six high.
collocation: metal containers / stack containers
The furniture was packed into a container and sent straight to the port by lorry.
passive: was packed into a container
A single shipping container can carry up to thirty tons of cargo.
Christopher watched the crane lift the container off the lorry and onto the ship.
- cargo container
emphasises that the container holds commercial freight; same object, different focus
- shipping container
the most common full name for this sense; 'container' alone can mean this when the context is about transport
用法筆記
Frequently used as a modifier in compounds: 'container ship' (a ship designed to carry containers), 'container port' (a port equipped to load and unload them), and 'container terminal' (the area of a port where containers are handled). The phrase 'shipping container' is more specific than 'container' on its own and helps avoid confusion with sense 1.