ashcan

English

Etymology

From ash +‎ can.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

ashcan (plural ashcans)

1. A container for ashes, used in times past for accumulating ashes generated from wood and coal fires, for eventual disposal elsewhere.
2. A dustbin. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (US, slang) A kind of large firecracker.

Derived terms

• ashcan of history

Translations

container for ashes

• Dutch: asbak (nl), vuilnisemmer (nl)
• French: cendrier (fr) m, poubelle (fr) f
• Galician: borralleira (gl) f
• Greek: σκουπιδοτενεκές (el) m (skoupidotenekés)
• Portuguese: cinzeiro (pt) m

Verb

ashcan (third-person singular simple present ashcans, present participle ashcanning, simple past and past participle ashcanned)

1. (transitive, informal) To throw out like rubbish; to ditch or trash.

Adjective

ashcan (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the Ashcan School of American art.
2. Describing a comic book originally published solely to retain ownership of a trademark, not intended for general release; later used for promotional comic books intended for limited release to the public.