cup
gb/kˈʌp/ us/kˈʌp/
A1
English
~ 900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Small container for drinking
A small container with a handle that you use to drink hot drinks like tea or coffee.
Usage pattern:
a cup of [liquid]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cup' with 'glass', which is usually used for cold drinks and made of clear material.
Synonyms
mug (Usually larger and thicker than a cup, often without a saucer.)
Antonyms
bottle (A closed container, usually with a narrow neck, for holding liquids.)
Collocations
cup of tea
|coffee cup
|paper cup
|teacup
Themes
daily life
|food
|home
|daily_life
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She poured herself a cup of coffee.
- He placed the cup on the saucer.
- I accidentally dropped my cup and it broke.
Learner examples
- I drink a cup of tea every morning.
- This cup is very hot.
- Please wash your cup after you use it.
Noun
A2
quantity
2
Unit of volume measurement
A way to measure food or drink in cooking, equal to about 240 milliliters in the US.
Usage pattern:
[number] cups of [ingredient]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cup' as a container with 'cup' as a measurement unit in recipes.
Synonyms
measure (A general word for an amount, not specific to the 'cup' unit.)
Antonyms
liter (A larger metric unit for measuring liquids.)
Collocations
one cup of sugar
|two cups of flour
|half a cup
Themes
cooking
|measurement
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- Add two cups of flour to the bowl.
- The recipe calls for one cup of milk.
- She measured half a cup of rice.
Learner examples
- Put one cup of milk in the bowl.
- I need two cups of water for this soup.
- The cake needs half a cup of sugar.
Noun
B1
event
3
Sports trophy or competition
A sports game or series where the winning team gets a trophy called a cup.
Usage pattern:
win [the] cup
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand 'cup' here as the physical object only, not realizing it refers to the entire competition.
Synonyms
tournament (A general term for a sports competition, not necessarily with a cup as a prize.)
Antonyms
friendly match (A non-competitive sports game without trophies.)
Collocations
World Cup
|win the cup
|cup final
Themes
sports
|competition
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- They won the World Cup last year.
- The team is training hard for the cup final.
- This is their third cup victory in a row.
Learner examples
- Our country won the World Cup.
- We will play in the cup final.
- They hope to win the cup this year.
Verb
B2
action
4
Form hands into curved shape to hold
To make your hand into a curved shape to hold something gently.
Usage pattern:
cup [something] in [hand(s)]
Synonyms
cradle (Implies holding something gently and protectively, often with both hands.)
Antonyms
flatten (To make something flat instead of curved for holding.)
Collocations
cup her face
|cupped his hands around
|cupped in his palms
Themes
body
|movement
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She cupped her hands to catch the rain.
- He cupped her face in his hands.
- I cupped the tiny bird gently.
Learner examples
- He cupped water in his hands.
- She cupped the flower carefully.
- I cupped my hands to drink.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cup
IPA
GB/kˈʌp/
US/kˈʌp/
Syllables & stress
cup (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cup)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cup
- Plural: cup, cups
Verb
- Base: cup
- 3rd Person Singular: cups
- Present Participle: cupping
- Past: cupped
Word family
Forms
cups
noun
cupping
verb
cupped
verb
Core family
cupful
noun
Related words
teacup
noun
cupcake
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: cupping Verb
- Irregular past: cupped Verb
Expressions
a storm in a teacup
1/ə stˈɔɹm ˈɪn ə tˈikˌʌp/
idiom
Exaggeration of unimportant problem
A lot of anger or worry about something that is not important.
Examples
- Their argument was just a storm in a teacup; they made up quickly.
- The media turned the small error into a storm in a teacup.
cup of tea
1/kˈʌp əv tˈi/
fixed phrase
Something one likes or enjoys
Something you like or are good at.
Examples
- Reading is definitely her cup of tea.
- Cooking is his cup of tea.
World Cup
1/wˈɚld kˈʌp/
fixed phrase
International sports competition with trophy
A big sports competition between countries where the winner gets a trophy called a cup.
Examples
- The FIFA World Cup happens every four years.
- They are preparing for the next World Cup.
not my cup of tea
1/nˈɑt mˈaɪ kˈʌp əv tˈi/
idiom
informal
Not something one likes
Something you do not like or enjoy doing.
Examples
- Horror movies are not my cup of tea.
- Jogging early in the morning is not my cup of tea.
- Thanks for inviting me, but hiking is really not my cup of tea.