barrowful

Everyday

As much as a wheelbarrow will hold. tree →

In the lessons

Measuring words with -ful: a spoonful, a cupful, a barrowful. Gardening and farm work. In Alice in Wonderland, when Alice fills the White Rabbit's house, the creatures outside talk of fetching «a barrowful» of something and then throw pebbles in at the window, which turn into little cakes.

Examples

• We moved three barrowfuls of soil. tree →
• «A barrowful will do, to begin with.» tree →
• «A barrowful of what?» thought Alice. tree →
• Dad tipped a barrowful of leaves onto the bonfire. tree →
• It took ten barrowfuls to fill the sandpit. tree →
• A barrowful of apples stood by the gate. tree →

Note

Plural: barrowfuls (sometimes barrowsful). In maths, a «barrowful» is not an exact unit; give kilograms or litres for exact amounts.