TIN

[noun] [U] - (a container made from) a silvery-coloured metala tin traya tin whistleIf you go to Cornwall, you can visit the old tin mines.A tin is also a metal container, usually with a lid, esp. used for storing food, or a metal container without a lid (esp. US pan) used for cooking.a biscuit/cake tin (= containers used for storing biscuits/cakes)a loaf/cake tin (= containers used for cooking bread/cakes).(UK and ANZ) A tin (esp. US can) is also the contents of a tin or the amount of something a tin contains.The children ate two tins of beans.We used four tins of paint when we painted the ceiling.See picture: Containers(UK and ANZ) A tin (also tin can, can) is a small closed metal container, usually cylindrical, in which food or other substances are sold.a soup tina paint tinDo you want pineapple juice in a tin or a carton?When you pack the shopping, don't put all the tins in one bag or it'll make it too heavy.Tin foil is shiny metallic material, as thin as paper, which is used esp. for wrapping food in order to store it or cook it.He wrapped his sandwiches in tin foil.If you cover the meat with tin foil before you put it in the oven, that will help seal in the juices.(informal disapproving) A (little) tin god is a person who is considered to be, or behaves as if they are, more important than they really are.(informal) A tin hat is a protective metal hat worn by soldiers.(UK and ANZ) I can't get this tin-opener (also [esp. US] can-opener) (= a device for opening tins of food) to work.(informal) Tin Pan Alley is sometimes used to refer to the people who write, perform and produce popular music, esp. in the first half of the 20th century.(informal) He works for some tin-pot little organization (= one which is not important and has little worth).A tin whistle is a small musical instrument consisting of a thin metal tube which the player blows down. The tube has holes in it, which are covered or left open in order to play different notes.