pot
gb/pˈɑt/ us/pˈɑt/
A1
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
deep round cooking container
A deep round container used for cooking food, often with a lid.
Usage pattern:
a pot of [food/drink]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pot' with 'pan'. A 'pot' is deeper and used for boiling or simmering, while a 'pan' is shallow and used for frying.
Synonyms
pan (Generally shallower than a pot; used for frying or sautéing.)
Antonyms
plate (A flat dish used for serving food, opposite in shape and function to a pot.)
Collocations
flower pot
|cooking pot
|pot of soup
|pot of tea
|boiling pot
Themes
daily life
|cooking
|food_drink
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She stirred the soup in the large pot.
- He left a pot of tea on the table.
- The pasta is boiling in the pot.
- She placed the pot on the stove.
- The stew simmered gently in the pot.
Learner examples
- The pot is on the stove.
- I put water in the pot.
- The pot is full of rice.
- She is cooking soup in the pot.
Noun
A1
entity
2
container for growing plants
A container for growing plants, usually made of clay or plastic.
Usage pattern:
a pot of [plant]
Synonyms
planter (Often larger or more decorative than a standard pot.)
Antonyms
garden bed (An open area of soil for planting directly in the ground.)
Collocations
flower pot
|potted plant
|clay pot
Themes
daily life
|gardening
|nature
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She bought a new pot for her cactus.
- The balcony was full of colorful pots.
- He planted basil in a small clay pot.
Learner examples
- The flower is in a pot.
- I put soil in the pot.
- The plant grows in the pot.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
3
marijuana (drug)
An informal word for marijuana, a drug from the cannabis plant.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this is slang and inappropriate in formal contexts.
Synonyms
weed (A common slang term for marijuana; similar register.)
Collocations
smoke pot
|buy pot
|pot smoker
Themes
drugs
|slang
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He was arrested for carrying pot.
- Some people smoke pot to relax.
- Pot is illegal in many countries.
Learner examples
- He smokes pot every day.
- Pot is not legal here.
- She does not use pot.
Noun
B1
entity
4
money pool in betting game
All the money that players have bet in a game.
Usage pattern:
the pot is [amount]
Synonyms
pool (General term for combined money or resources; 'pot' is used especially in cards.)
Collocations
win the pot
|split the pot
|add to the pot
Themes
games
|money
|finance
|sports
|daily_life
Examples
- She won the whole pot in poker.
- The players agreed to split the pot.
- He added five dollars to the pot.
Learner examples
- He won the pot in the game.
- The pot is very big now.
- I put more money in the pot.
Verb
A2
action
5
put plant into container with soil
To put a plant into a container with soil so it can grow.
Usage pattern:
to pot [a plant]
Synonyms
replant (Moving a plant to another container or location; 'pot' refers specifically to putting it into a pot.)
Antonyms
uproot (To remove a plant from its place of growth.)
Collocations
pot up seedlings
|pot a plant
Themes
gardening
|nature
|daily_life
Examples
- She potted the herbs she had bought.
- I need to pot these flowers before winter.
- He carefully potted the young tree.
Learner examples
- I will pot this plant today.
- She pots the flowers every spring.
- We need to pot the seeds.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pot
IPA
GB/pˈɑt/
US/pˈɑt/
Syllables & stress
pot (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pot)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pot
- Plural: pot, pots
Verb
- Base: pot
- 3rd Person Singular: pots
- Present Participle: potting
- Past: potted
Word family
Forms
pots
noun
potting
verb
potted
verb
Core family
potter
noun
pottery
noun A2
Related words
teapot
noun
flowerpot
noun
Advanced or less common
repot
verb
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: potting Verb
- Irregular past: potted Verb
Expressions
go to pot
1/ɡˈoʊ tə pˈɑt/
idiom
informal
deteriorate badly over time
To become worse in quality or condition over time.
Examples
- After the manager left, the business went to pot.
- His health has gone to pot since he stopped exercising.
hit the jackpot / clean out the pot
1/hˈɪt ðə d͡ʒˈækpˌɑt klˈin ˈaʊt ðə pˈɑt/
idiom
informal
win all money in betting pool
To win all the money that has been bet in a game or competition.
Examples
- He cleaned out the pot at last night's poker game.
- She hit the jackpot and took home the whole pot.
pot calling the kettle black
1/pˈɑt kˈɔlɪŋ ðə kˈɛtəl blˈæk/
idiom
informal
accuse someone of same fault you have
To say someone has a fault that you also have yourself.
Examples
- It's like the pot calling the kettle black when she says I'm messy.
- Him accusing me of lying is the pot calling the kettle black.
sweeten the pot
1/swˈitən ðə pˈɑt/
idiom
informal
make an offer more attractive by adding more benefits
To make an offer better by adding something extra.
Examples
- They sweetened the pot with an extra bonus payment.
- I'll sweeten the pot by throwing in free delivery.