brimful

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪmfʊl/

Etymology 1

From brim +‎ -ful.

Adjective

brimful (not comparable)

1. Filled to maximum capacity.
   • [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:

     So weighty was the cup, / That being propos'd brimful of wine, one scarce could lift it up.

     The spelling has been modernized.

Derived terms

• brimfully
• brimfulness
• overbrimful

 

Translations

filled to overflowing

• Maori: puhapuha, puhake, pūhakehake
• Middle English: bretful
• Russian: дополна́ (ru) (dopolná), до краёв (do krajóv)
• Swedish: bräddfull, bräddfylld
• Tày: ăng ắc

Etymology 2

From brim +‎ -ful.

Noun

brimful (plural brimfuls)

1. The maximum amount a container can hold.
   • 2001, P. Koslowski, The Origin and the Overcoming of Evil and Suffering in the World Religions, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 17:

     If the glass is cracked, it cannot contain a brimful of water; and if and only if the water is calm enough, it can reflect the moon in the sky without distortion.

   • 2012, Thaddeus Hatter, Malice in Wonderland: What Every Law Student Should Have for the Trip, The Fine Print Press, →ISBN:

     As I listened to the words as they were coming out of my mouth, I realized that I sounded like Ozzy Osborne after three brimfuls of Merlot and a handful of Vicodin .

2. (figurative) A large amount.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:lot

   • 1997, Tjinder Singh (lyrics and music), “Brimful Of Asha”, performed by Cornershop:

     Brimful of Asha on the forty-five / Well, it's a brimful of Asha on the forty-five

   • 2002, Hayley Ann Solomon, A Scandalous Connection, Kensington Publishing Corp., →ISBN:

     Such a suggestion—even a timid one in her own head—would have been met with a brimful of scorn.