the can

noun
UK: /ðə kæn/
US: /ðə kæn/

  1. A metal container used for preserving food.

    1. I opened the can of beans for dinner tonight. [ ] [ ]
    2. After buying the canned goods, I put the can directly into the cupboard. [ ] [ ]

  2. A toilet, often in a public place or prison.

    1. He went to the can to wash his hands quickly. [ ] [ ]
    2. Due to the long journey he needed to stop at the can located at the station. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

jail dismiss fire sack prison
the can transitive-verb

  1. To dismiss or fire someone from a job.

    1. The boss threatened to can him if he was late again. [ ] [ ]
    2. Because of his poor performance, they had to can the new employee. [ ] [ ]
the can verb

  1. To stop doing or abandon an activity or project.

    1. Let's just can the whole plan, it's not working. [ ] [ ]
    2. They decided to can the outdoor picnic because it started raining hard. [ ] [ ]
the can idiom

  1. An informal expression meaning to be in trouble or facing consequences.

    1. If I'm caught, I'll be in the can. [ ] [ ]
    2. He knew that if he failed the test, he would be in the can with his parents. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "the can" in English means: A metal container used for preserving food., A toilet, often in a public place or prison..

The phonetic transcription of "the can" is /ðə kæn/ in British English and /ðə kæn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "the can": jail, dismiss, fire, sack, prison.

Example usage of "the can": "I opened the can of beans for dinner tonight.". More examples on the page.