What does "vat" mean?
Vat: A measure for liquids, and also a dry measure; especially, a liquid measure in Belgium and Holland, corresponding to the hectoliter of the metric system, which contains 22.01 imperial gallons, or 26.4 standard gallons in the United States. Note: The old Dutch grain vat averaged 0.762 Winchester bushel. The old London coal vat contained 9 bushels. The solid-measurement vat of Amsterdam contains 40 cubic feet; the wine vat, 241.57 imperial gallons, and the vat for olive oil, 225.45 imperial gallons.
Additional senses
- 2.(Metal.) (a) A wooden tub for washing ores and mineral substances in. (b) A square, hollow place on the back of a calcining furnace, where tin ore is laid to dry.
- 3.(R. C. Ch.) A vessel for holding holy water.
- 4.To put or transfer into a vat.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00