a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
"he put the cup back in the saucer"
"the handle of the cup was missing"
any cup-shaped concavity
"bees filled the waxen cups with honey"
"he wore a jock strap with a metal cup"
"the cup of her bra"
a United States liquid unit equal to 8 fluid ounces
"The recipe calls for exactly two cups of milk, so I measured them carefully before pouring it into the bowl."
cup-shaped plant organ
"The gardener carefully filled each flower's delicate, cup-shaped organ with water to help it survive the drought."
a punch served in a pitcher instead of a punch bowl
"Since we ran out of our fancy glass punch bowls, I just poured everyone's drinks from the big plastic pitcher into paper cups."
the hole (or metal container in the hole) on a golf green
"he swore as the ball rimmed the cup and rolled away"
"put the flag back in the cup"
a large metal vessel with two handles that is awarded as a trophy to the winner of a competition
"the school kept the cups is a special glass case"
A concave vessel for drinking from, usually made of opaque material (as opposed to a glass) and with a handle.
"After years of waiting, the team finally lifted the trophy and celebrated their historic cup victory."
A win of a championship that is awarded a cup.
In plain English: A cup is an open container with a handle that you use to hold drinks like coffee or tea.
"She poured hot coffee into her favorite blue cup."
Usage: Use "cup" to refer to a drinking vessel or a trophy shaped like a bowl with handles. When describing a championship victory, say the team won the cup rather than using it as a verb.
To form into the shape of a cup, particularly of the hands.
"The gardener cupped his hands together to catch the falling water from the leaking hose."
In plain English: To cup something means to hold it in your hand with your fingers curved around it.
"She cupped her hands together to catch the falling raindrops."
Usage: Use the verb cup to describe holding your hands together in a curved shape to catch or hold something, such as water or sand. This action creates a hollow space similar to an actual drinking vessel using your palms and fingers.
A particular trophy that is a cup; sometimes with the definite article "the".
"The team celebrated their victory by lifting the cup high above their heads."
The word "cup" comes from Middle English and Old English forms that merged together. Its ultimate roots lie in Late Latin, where it originally referred to a tub or cask before evolving into the vessel we know today.