bucket
open container with a handle
A deep round container with a handle, used to carry water, sand, or other things.
a bucket of [liquid/substance]
- She filled a bucket with soapy water and started washing the car.
- The children used plastic buckets to build a sandcastle on the beach.
- Please grab a bucket and help me carry these apples from the garden.
- He kicked over the paint bucket and made a huge mess on the floor.
- There was a metal bucket under the leak to catch the dripping water.
- He carries water in a big bucket.
- The girl puts sand in her red bucket.
- Please put the dirty clothes in this bucket.
- This bucket is full of cold water.
- She uses a bucket to clean the floor.
amount a bucket can hold
An amount of liquid or other material that is enough to fill one bucket.
[number] buckets of [liquid/substance]
- The firefighters used several buckets of water to put out the small blaze.
- We carried three buckets of sand to fill the new sandbox.
- She mixed a bucket of cement to repair the broken steps.
- They poured a bucket of cold water over the campfire.
- The workers moved bucket after bucket of soil out of the hole.
- He drinks two buckets of water every day on the farm.
- They used five buckets of paint for the house.
- We need one more bucket of sand for the play area.
- She carried a bucket of milk from the barn.
- They threw a bucket of water on the fire.
very large quantity of something
A very big amount of something, often said as 'buckets of' to show there is a lot.
buckets of [uncountable noun]
- They make buckets of money from that online business.
- It was so hot that we were sweating buckets by the end of the game.
- She cried buckets when she watched the sad movie.
- The team has poured buckets of effort into this project.
- Tourists bring buckets of energy and excitement to the city in summer.
- He has buckets of homework this weekend.
- She cried buckets after the bad news.
- We spent buckets of money on our holiday.
- They worked buckets of extra hours last month.
- It was very hot, and I was sweating buckets.
data category or range
A group or range that numbers or people are put in so they are easier to study or compare.
[something] into [number] buckets
- For this report, we divided customers into three age buckets: 18–24, 25–39, and 40+.
- The data team created spending buckets to compare low, medium, and high-value users.
- Survey responses were sorted into buckets based on region and company size.
- We put all the features into priority buckets so the engineers know what to build first.
- The chart shows revenue buckets so you can quickly see which deals are the largest.
- They put users into different age buckets.
- We group sales into small, medium, and large buckets.
- The company puts customers into price buckets.
- The data is split into four buckets by income.
- We made simple buckets so the numbers are easy to see.
container in cloud storage service
A special folder in an online storage service where you keep files and data objects.
create a bucket for [data/type]
- Upload the backups to a secure bucket in our cloud storage account.
- Each S3 bucket has a unique name across the whole Amazon Web Services region.
- Make sure the bucket permissions are set so that the data is not publicly accessible.
- We store all user profile photos in a dedicated image bucket.
- The logs are written to a separate bucket so they can be archived later.
- We store our files in a cloud bucket.
- Please create a new bucket for test data.
- This bucket holds all the user images.
- The admin changed the bucket settings to private.
- You must give the bucket a unique name.
successful basketball shot for points
A shot in basketball that goes in the basket and gives points.
get buckets
- He can create his own shot and get buckets from anywhere on the court.
- They needed one more bucket to win, and she hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.
- The defense tightened up and stopped giving away easy buckets in the paint.
- Our team struggled to get buckets in the second half and lost the lead.
- That last bucket was huge and completely changed the momentum of the game.
- He scored many buckets in the game.
- The team could not get a bucket for five minutes.
- She made the last bucket and they won.
- They got easy buckets close to the basket.
- The player is very good at getting buckets.
to rain very heavily
When it rains very hard and a lot, often said as 'it is bucketing down'.
it buckets down
- It was bucketing down, so we decided to stay inside instead of going for a walk.
- By the time we left the office, it was absolutely bucketing down with rain.
- It’s been bucketing down all morning, and the streets are already starting to flood.
- We got soaked because it started bucketing down just as we left the station.
- If it keeps bucketing down like this, the match will probably be canceled.
- It is bucketing down, so I need an umbrella.
- We stayed home because it was bucketing down.
- It started bucketing down during the picnic.
- When it is bucketing down, the roads get very wet.
- It was bucketing down all night.
to move very fast
To go very fast, especially when you move in a strong or rough way.
[someone/something] buckets along/down [place]
- The old bus was bucketing along the road, rattling with every bump.
- Cyclists were bucketing down the hill, trying to beat the rain.
- He came bucketing across the field to catch the last train.
- Cars were bucketing past our house all night after the concert.
- They bucketed down the track, trying to reach the finish line first.
- The train was bucketing along the track.
- He bucketed down the street to catch the bus.
- Cars were bucketing past the school.
- We bucketed down the hill on our bikes.
- She bucketed across town to get home on time.
- Base: bucket
- Plural: buckets
- Base: bucket
- 3rd Person Singular: buckets
- Present Participle: bucketing
- Past: bucketed
a drop in the bucket
1a very small, insufficient amount
A very small amount that does not change the situation because much more is needed.
- The donation was generous, but it was just a drop in the bucket compared to what the charity needs.
- My efforts feel like a drop in the bucket against climate change.
- Paying off ten dollars of that huge loan is only a drop in the bucket.
bucket down
1to rain very heavily
To rain very hard and a lot.
- It was bucketing down, so the football match was canceled.
- By the time we got outside, it was already bucketing down with rain.
- If it keeps bucketing down like this, the streets will flood.
bucket hat
1soft hat with wide brim
A soft cloth hat with a round top and a wide brim that slopes down all around.
- He wore a bucket hat to protect his face from the sun.
- Bucket hats have become popular again in street fashion.
- She packed a bucket hat for their hiking trip.
bucket list
1list of lifetime goals
A list of special things you want to do in your life, especially before you die.
- Visiting Japan has always been at the top of my bucket list.
- She finally checked skydiving off her bucket list last summer.
- They made a bucket list of places to see together over the next ten years.
buckets of
1a very large amount
Used to say there is a very big amount of something.
- They have buckets of experience in this industry.
- We spent buckets of money on the wedding.
- She has buckets of talent but still works very hard.
cry buckets
1to cry a lot
To cry a lot, often for a long time.
- She cried buckets when her dog died.
- I cried buckets during that sad movie.
- He used to cry buckets every time they argued.
kick the bucket
1to die (humorous idiom)
To die, said in a light, joking, or informal way.
- He jokes that he wants to travel the world before he kicks the bucket.
- The old man finally kicked the bucket at the age of ninety-three.
- They’re arguing about who will get the house when their uncle kicks the bucket.
rust bucket
1old, badly rusted vehicle
An old car, boat, or other vehicle that is in very bad, rusty condition.
- He still drives that old rust bucket to work every day.
- The ferry was a bit of a rust bucket, but the trip was cheap.
- We sold our rust bucket and finally bought a reliable car.
sweat buckets
1to sweat a lot
To sweat a lot because it is very hot or you are working very hard.
- It was so hot in the factory that everyone was sweating buckets.
- He sweated buckets during the marathon.
- We were sweating buckets by the time we reached the top of the hill.
throw a bucket of cold water on
1to kill enthusiasm for something
To say or do something that makes people less excited or hopeful about an idea or plan.
- The manager threw a bucket of cold water on our plans by cutting the budget.
- I don’t want to throw a bucket of cold water on your idea, but we really can’t afford it.
- His negative comments threw a bucket of cold water on the celebration.