bin

/bɪn/

/bɪn/

Other forms: bins; binning; binned

A bin is a box or other lidded container. You might store onions and potatoes in a vegetable bin in your kitchen.

The noun bin is especially good for describing a specific kind of container, like a toy bin at a preschool or a compost bin on the counter. Bin is more commonly used in Britain than in the United States — a Londoner might say, "Oh, just throw that in the bin," while a New Yorker is more likely to say, "Throw it in the trash," or "Toss it in the garbage." The root word is the Old English binne, "basket."

Definitions of bin

1. noun

   a container; usually has a lid
   types:

   ash bin, ash-bin, ashbin, ashcan, dustbin, garbage can, trash barrel, trash bin, trash can, wastebin

   a bin that holds rubbish until it is collected

   coalbin, coalhole

   a bin for holding coal

   crib

   a bin or granary for storing grains

   flour bin

   a bin for holding flour

   litter basket, litter-basket, litterbin

   bin (usually in or outside a public building) into which the public can put rubbish

   parts bin

   a bin for holding spare parts

   recycling bin

   a bin for depositing things to be recycled

   bottle bank

   a place where bottles can be deposited for recycling

   corncrib

   a crib for storing and drying ears of corn

   type of:

   container

   any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another)
2. noun

   the quantity contained in a bin
   synonyms: binful

   type of:

   containerful

   the quantity that a container will hold
3. verb

   store in bins
   type of:

   hive away, lay in, put in, salt away, stack away, stash away, store

   keep or lay aside for future use