Jug

This article is about the container. For the jug used as a musical instrument, seeJug (musical instrument).For other uses, seeJug (disambiguation).

French ceramic jug

Covered cream jug, 1735, silver,Cleveland Museum of Art(US)

Ajugis a type ofcontainercommonly used to hold liquids. It has an opening, sometimes narrow, from which to pour or drink, and has a handle, and often a pouring lip. Jugs throughout history have been made of metal, ceramic, or glass, and plastic is now common.

InBritish English,jugs are pouring vessels for holding drinkable liquids, whether beer, water or soft drinks. InNorth American Englishthese table jugs are usually calledpitchers.Ewer is an older word for jugs or pitchers, and there are several others.

Several other types of containers are also called jugs, depending on locale, tradition, and personal preference. Some types ofbottlescan be called jugs, particularly if the container has a narrow mouth and has a handle. Closures such asstoppersorscrew capsare common for these retail packages.

Etymology

The word jug is first recorded in the late 15th century asjuggeorjubbe.It is of unknown origin, but perhaps comes fromjuga term for a maidservant, in the same period. This in turn comes from the alteration of common personal names such as Joan or Judith.

Beer

In certain countries, especially New Zealand and Australia, a "jug" refers to a plastic container filled with twopints(just over alitre) ofbeer.It is usually served along with one or more small glasses from which the beer is normally consumed, although in somestudentbars it is more common for the beer to be drunk directly from the jug, which is usually served without the accompanying glass. (In the U.S., this may be called apitcher—although few US pitchers are as small as alitre,generally holding between 64 and 128 U.S.fluid ounces,approximately 2-4 litres. In New Zealand and Australia a pitcher sometimes can refer to a much larger measure of beer.)

In Britain in those parts of the country where there is a choice between a pint (20 fluid ounces) tankard and a straight glass of beer, a tankard may be called a tankard or a "jug".A jug of beer may also refer to a jug containing larger amounts (usually sized in pints), but if a large jug is sold it will be advertised as such in the pub and this helps to reduce confusion.

Music

Further information:Jug (musical instrument)

In American folk music, an empty jug (oftenstonewareused forAmerican whiskey) is sometimes used as a musical instrument, being played with buzzed lips to produce atrombone-like tone. It is often part of ajug band,to which ensemble it lends its name.

Examples

In addition to the typical definition, a variety of other containers designed for carrying liquid are sometimes called "jugs".

• 
  Stonewarewhiskey jug
• 
  Hamilton and Inchessilver claret jug,Edinburgh 1902
• 
  A set ofearthenwarejugs used for holdingcider,manufactured inSomerset,England
• 
  Silver hot water jug, Dublin c1770, using a coffee-pot shape with a higher base.
• 
  Two 17th-century GermanBartmann jugs
• 
  18 L refillable plastic water jug, typically used inwater coolers
• 
  Blow molded plastic bottle of milk, often called amilk jugin America
• 
  A growler beer bottle or “jug”
• 
  Roman glass juglet with vertical ribbing. 2nd half of 1st century C.E.
• 
  Enamelwash-basinand jug
• 
  Man with a jug, Portugal, 1950
• 
  Syro-Palestinian coast, or possibly Egypt. 8th-11th century AD.Khalili Collection.
• 
  AnOld Kingdomjug featuring galloping hippos in theCairo Museum.

See also

• Bartmann jug
• Bridge spouted vessel
• Carboy
• Creamer (vessel)
• Face jug
• Fuddling cup
• Growler (jug)
• Jug wine
• Jugging
• Harvest jug
• Puzzle jug
• Toby Jug
• Silver claret jug
• Wenlok jug

External links

"Jug".Encyclopedia Americana.1920.