pint

Etymology

From Middle English pinte, from Old French pinte, assumed from Vulgar Latin *pincta (“a mark used to indicate a level of quantity against a larger measure”), from Latin picta (“painted”), from Latin pingō (“paint”, verb). Doublet of pinto and Pinto.

noun

1. A unit of volume, equivalent to:
   1. one eighth of a gallon, specifically:
      1. (UK, Commonwealth) 20 fluid ounces, approximately 568 millilitres (an imperial pint)
      2. (US): one half quart
         1. 16 US fluid ounces [473 millilitres] for liquids (a US liquid pint) or
         2. approximately 33.6 cubic inches [550.6 cubic centimeters] for dry goods (a US dry pint).
   2. (Hungary) 1.696 liters
   3. (medicine) 12 fluid ounces
2. (Britain, metonymically) A pint of milk.
   Please leave three pints tomorrow, milkman.
3. (UK, metonymically) A glass of beer or cider, served by the pint.
   A couple of pints please, barman.
   Finn: You must have a terrible thirst on you tonight. I've never seen a man drink two pints at the same time. 1998, Kirk Jones, Waking Ned, Tomboy films