tinned

Everyday

1. (UK, Australia, NZ) Tinned food is food sealed in a metal can to keep it fresh for a long time; in the US people say «canned». tree →
2. Tinned means covered with a thin layer of tin, as tinned steel or tinned copper wire. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life tinned food (beans, tomatoes, tuna, peaches) is cheap, lasts long and is used in food banks and emergencies. In science and history lessons tinned food was invented to feed soldiers and sailors in the early 1800s. Phrases: tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, tinned fruit.

Examples

• Mum opened a tin of beans, so we had tinned beans on toast. tree →
• We collected tinned food for the food bank. tree →
• Tinned peaches taste sweet and syrupy. tree →
• Explorers took tinned food to the Antarctic. tree →
• Tinned tuna is good in sandwiches. tree →
• Check the date on tinned food before eating it. tree →
• The electrician used tinned copper wire. tree →
• Almost with his last breath he sent the crown to be tinned--and he never lived to pay the tinsmith's bill." tree →

Note

UK «tinned» = US «canned»; both mean the same food. Cans are mostly steel with a tin coating, or aluminium. Throw away tins that are badly dented, swollen or rusty. Double n: tinned, tinning.