1. Home
2. Idioms
3. pint

pint

---

---

half-pint

Any small, weak, and/or insignificant person. Alludes to a pint, a unit of liquid measurement. Don't go picking a fight with me, half-pint, or I'll knock you into next Tuesday! That new half-pint they hired as a CEO is totally incompetent.

You cannot get a quart into a pint pot.

Prov. You cannot fit too much of something into a space that is too small. That dog is simply too big to get into this kennel. You can't get a quart into a pint pot. Our refrigerator isn't big enough to fit that watermelon in. You can't get a quart into a pint pot.

See also: cannot, get, pint, pot, quart

get/put a quart into a pint pot

  (British)

to try to put too much of something into a small space

Usage notes: A quart is a unit for measuring liquids. It is equal to two pints.

I'm trying to get this huge pile of clothes crammed into these two drawers. Talk about trying to get a quart into a pint pot!

See also: get, pint, pot, quart