kettle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food, usually metal and equipped with a lid.

   To cook pasta, you first need to put the kettle on.

2. 2
   noun

   A vessel or appliance used to boil water for the preparation of hot beverages and other foodstuffs.

   Stick the kettle on and we'll have a nice cup of tea.

3. 3
   noun

   A group of raptors riding a thermal, especially when migrating.

   a kettle of hawks

4. 4
   noun

   A type of encirclement.

   Near-synonym: cauldron

5. 5
   noun

   Ellipsis of kettle of fish.

   Near-synonyms: cauldron, pickle; see also Thesaurus:difficult situation

6. 6
   verb

   To contain demonstrators in a confined area.

   Life for senior officers has been made much easier by the use of counter-terrorism powers, which enable them to contain demonstrators for hours in a confined spot. This tactic, known as kettling, is seen by some as an attempt to prevent people lawfully demonstrating.

7. 7
   noun

   a metal pot for stewing or boiling

8. 8
   noun

   a large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension on it

Etymology

From Middle English ketel, also chetel, from Old English ċietel (“kettle, cauldron”) and in Middle English possibly influenced by Old Norse ketill and both from Proto-Germanic *katilaz (“kettle, bucket, vessel”), of uncertain origin and formation. Usually regarded as a borrowing of Late Latin catīllus (“small bowl”), diminutive of Latin catinus (“deep bowl, vessel for cooking up or serving food”), however, the word may be Germanic confused with the Latin: compare Old English cete (“cooking pot”), Old High German chezzi (“a kettle, dish, bowl”), Icelandic kati, ketla (“a small boat”). Cognate w…