n. & v.
n. 1 a vessel, usu. rounded, of ceramic ware or metal or glass for holding liquids or solids or for cooking in. 2 a a coffee-pot, flowerpot, glue-pot, jam-pot, teapot, etc. b = chimney-pot. c = lobster-pot. 3 a drinking vessel of pewter etc. 4 the contents of a pot (ate a whole pot of jam). 5 the total amount of the bet in a game etc. 6 colloq. a large sum (pots of money). 7 sl. a vessel given as a prize in an athletic contest, esp. a silver cup. 8 = pot-belly.
v.tr. (potted, potting) 1 place in a pot. 2 (usu. as potted adj.) preserve in a sealed pot (potted shrimps). 3 sit (a young child) on a chamber pot. 4 pocket (a ball) in billiards etc. 5 shoot at, hit, or kill (an animal) with a pot shot. 6 seize or secure. 7 abridge or epitomize (in a potted version; potted wisdom). go to pot colloq. deteriorate; be ruined. pot-bellied having a pot-belly. pot-belly (pl. -ies) 1 a protruding stomach. 2 a person with this. 3 a small bulbous stove. pot-boiler 1 a work of literature or art done merely to make the writer or artist a living. 2 a writer or artist who does this. pot-bound (of a plant) having roots which fill the flowerpot, leaving no room to expand. pot cheese US cottage cheese. pot-herb any herb grown in a kitchen garden. pot-hook 1 a hook over a hearth for hanging a pot etc. on, or for lifting a hot pot. 2 a curved stroke in handwriting, esp. as made in learning to write. pot-hunter 1 a person who hunts for game at random. 2 a person who takes part in a contest merely for the sake of the prize. pot luck whatever (hospitality etc.) is available. pot of gold an imaginary reward; an ideal; a jackpot. pot pie a pie of meat etc. or fruit with a crust baked in a pot. pot plant a plant grown in a flowerpot. pot roast a piece of meat cooked slowly in a covered dish. pot-roast v.tr. cook (a piece of meat) in this way. pot-shot 1 a random shot. 2 a shot aimed at an animal etc. within easy reach. 3 a shot at a game-bird etc. merely to provide a meal. pot-valiant courageous because of drunkenness. pot-valour this type of courage. potful n. (pl. -fuls).
[ OE pott, corresp. to OFris., MDu., MLG pot, f. pop.L ]