gallon

IPA/ˈɡælən/
KK[ɡˈælən]IPA/ˈɡælən/

gallon — noun

  • gallonsingular
  • gallonsplural

1. a standard unit for measuring liquids. In the United States, one gallon equals a

1.nounA2
Definition

a standard unit for measuring liquids. In the United States, one gallon equals about 3.8 litres or four quarts. In the United Kingdom, one gallon equals about 4.5 litres.

Example

Elena filled the car with ten gallons of petrol before the road trip.

number + gallon(s) + of + [liquid]

The recipe calls for two gallons of water to boil the pasta.

gallon as a cooking measure

Common collocations
  • gallon of milk
  • gallon of gasoline
  • gallon of water
  • half a gallon
  • per gallon
  • gallon container
  • four quarts

Grammar Patterns

number + gallon(s) + of + [liquid]

Usage Note

In the US, a gallon of gasoline at a pump is often simply called 'a gallon,' without specifying the liquid. The UK gallon is about 20% larger than the US gallon, so always check which system is being used.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a gallon of bread.
I need to buy a gallon of milk.
gallons measure liquids, not solid food items.
The price per gallon in the UK is the same as in the US.
The price per gallon in the UK is higher because a UK gallon is larger than a US gallon.
the two gallons are different sizes and should not be treated as identical.

2. a very large amount of a liquid, used informally to emphasize that there is far

2.nounB2
Definition

a very large amount of a liquid, used informally to emphasize that there is far more than usual — for example, drinking gallons of water after a long run, or spilling gallons of soup in the kitchen.

Example

After the marathon, Gabriel drank gallons of water to rehydrate.

gallons of + [liquid] — informal emphasis of large quantity

The storm dumped gallons of rain on the village in just one afternoon.

Common collocations
  • gallons of water
  • gallons of coffee
  • gallons of rain
  • gallons of tea
  • gallons of soup
  • gallons of beer
Synonyms
  • loads of

    more informal, can be used for non-liquids too

  • tons of

    even more informal, works for any substance

Antonyms
  • drop

    a tiny amount, the opposite extreme

Grammar Patterns

gallons of + [liquid]

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used with the plural 'gallons' or with 'a whole gallon' to stress the size of the amount. It is too informal for scientific or technical writing.

Common Mistakes

I drank gallon of coffee this morning.
I drank gallons of coffee this morning.
the plural 'gallons' is the standard form for this figurative meaning.
We used three gallons of paint on the ceiling, exactly as measured.
We used three gallons of paint on the ceiling.
if the amount is precise, use Sense 1 instead of Sense 2.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name units of volume, but they are used at different scales and in different regions. A gallon is the largest of the four — about 3.8 litres in the US or 4.5 litres in the UK. A quart is one quarter of a gallon (about 0.95 litres). A pint is half a quart (about 0.47 litres). A litre is the metric standard (about 1.06 US quarts or 0.88 UK quarts). In everyday American English, people commonly buy milk by the gallon and gasoline by the gallon, but drink beer by the pint and order soft drinks by the litre. British English uses the gallon less often in daily life, preferring litres for most packaged drinks. For a learner, knowing the gallon is key for US fuel prices and large liquid containers, while litre is essential in most other countries.

gallon ↗quart ↗litre ↗pint ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • gallon container
  • gallon jug
  • gallon bottle

Prepositions

  • per gallon
  • of

Etymology

Medieval LatinOld North FrenchEnglish

The word 'gallon' came into English from Old North French 'galon', which itself came from Medieval Latin 'galleo' or 'galleta', meaning a liquid measure. The ultimate origin may be from a Celtic root related to 'vessel' or 'container'. Over time, the gallon was standardised differently in Britain and America, leading to the two different sizes used today.