tin
tin — noun
1. a soft, shiny, silver-coloured metal that does not rust easily, used in combinat
a soft, shiny, silver-coloured metal that does not rust easily, used in combination with other metals to make alloys or applied as a thin coating to protect steel and other materials.
The factory uses tin to coat steel sheets so they do not rust.
tin + to coat + protective use
The roof of the garden shed is made from sheets of tin that glint in the sunlight.
tin roof — common outdoor use of the metal
Tin cans are actually made of steel with a thin layer of tin that stops them from rusting.
tin as anti-rust coating on steel — links metal sense to food-can sense
Tin is mixed with other metals to make alloys such as bronze for statues and pewter for plates.
tin alloys — bronze, pewter — everyday objects
- tin ore
- tin mine
- tin alloy
- tin coating
Grammar Patterns
tin + noun (as modifier)
2. a container made from thin sheets of tin-coated steel, used for storing and sell
a container made from thin sheets of tin-coated steel, used for storing and selling food or drink. The American English word for this is 'can'.
Kevin opened a tin of tomatoes to make his pasta sauce for dinner.
British: a tin of [food]
Rafael bought three tins of tuna from the shop near his office.
The recipe calls for one tin of coconut milk and two fresh chillies.
Adisa stacked the empty tins in the recycling bin after the party.
empty tins → recycling
- tin of beans
- tin of fish
- tin opener
- open a tin
- can
Standard American English term for a sealed metal food container
Grammar Patterns
tin + of + noun
Usage Note
In American English the equivalent word is 'can'. The word 'tin' is still used in American English for the metal itself, but for food containers 'can' is standard.
Common Mistakes
3. the amount of food or drink that a sealed metal container holds, used when refer
the amount of food or drink that a sealed metal container holds, used when referring to the contents rather than the container itself.
Tanvi added a whole tin of chopped tomatoes to the curry.
a tin of [quantity] — contents focus
The children shared a tin of baked beans for lunch.
Mei bought three tins of sweetened condensed milk to bake her grandmother's famous coconut cake.
specific quantity + purpose — contents-focused use
By midnight the children had nearly emptied the tin of chocolate biscuits.
nearly emptied a tin of [food] — progressive consumption
- a whole tin of
- half a tin of
- tin of soup
Grammar Patterns
tin + of + noun
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (FOOD CAN): when you say 'I bought a tin of beans,' the focus is on the container as a product. When you say 'I ate a tin of beans,' the focus is on the amount consumed. The grammar pattern is the same — context determines which sense applies.
4. a lidded vessel made from tin-coated steel, used for keeping dry ingredients lik
a lidded vessel made from tin-coated steel, used for keeping dry ingredients like tea, coffee, flour, or biscuits from going stale.
Grandma kept her homemade shortbread in a large blue tin on the shelf.
The tea shop sells beautifully decorated tins filled with loose-leaf tea.
decorated tin — gift item
Niran reached for the biscuit tin and offered everyone a chocolate cookie.
biscuit tin — common collocation
Camille stores sugar and flour in matching tins on the kitchen counter.
- biscuit tin
- tea tin
- cake tin
- tin with a lid
5. a tall, round vessel with a fitted cover, made from thin coated steel and design
a tall, round vessel with a fitted cover, made from thin coated steel and designed to hold and sell liquid products like paint, varnish, or glue.
Adina stirred the paint in the tin before dipping her brush into it.
paint in the tin — stirring before use
The hardware store displays rows of paint tins in every colour imaginable.
Constanza checked how much glue was left in the tin before starting the craft project.
Old paint tins stacked in the garage should be taken to the recycling centre.
old paint tins — disposal context
- paint tin
- tin of glue
- tin of varnish
6. a shallow tray or pan made from tin-coated steel, open at the top and designed t
a shallow tray or pan made from tin-coated steel, open at the top and designed to go inside an oven for baking or roasting food.
Eve greased the baking tin before pouring the cake mixture into it.
baking tin — greasing before use
The chicken was placed in a roasting tin with potatoes and carrots around it.
Line the cake tin with baking paper so the sponge does not stick.
The baker washed the loaf tin immediately after taking the bread out of the oven.
loaf tin — specific baking shape
- cake tin
- baking tin
- roasting tin
- loaf tin
- baking pan
More common in American English
- roasting pan
Specifically for roasting meat and vegetables
- cake pan
American term for a cake tin
used to say that something is exactly as it claims to be, without any hidden extras or surprises.
This software does what it says on the tin — simple file editing with no hidden fees.
The hotel was basic but it did what it said on the tin: clean rooms and breakfast included.
extremely nervous, restless, or unable to stay still because of worry or excitement.
Tanvi was like a cat on a hot tin roof waiting for her exam results.
The children were like cats on a hot tin roof before the birthday party started.
This phrase means that a product or service works just as it is advertised or promised.
Maya bought a cheap blender that does exactly what it says on the tin.
Does this software really do what it says on the tin?
tin — verb
1. to apply a thin layer of tin to the surface of a metal object in order to protec
to apply a thin layer of tin to the surface of a metal object in order to protect it from rust or corrosion.
The factory tins steel sheets before shipping them to the roofing company.
tin + steel — industrial process
The manufacturer tins steel roofing sheets to protect them from rain and humidity.
active: manufacturer tins steel — modern industrial use
The factory tins steel sheets that will later be shaped into car body panels.
tin + steel sheets → automotive — common industrial chain
The factory tins copper piping before selling it to hardware stores for plumbing systems.
tin + copper piping — everyday construction material
- tin steel
- tin copper
- tinned surface
- plate with tin
More technical, used in industrial contexts
- tin-plate
Hyphenated compound verb, specific to steel coating industry
Grammar Patterns
tin + object
be tinned with
2. to preserve food by sealing it inside a metal container, usually processed with
to preserve food by sealing it inside a metal container, usually processed with heat to keep it safe to eat.
The company tins fresh tuna at the harbour within hours of catching it.
tin + fresh tuna — food preservation
The Garcia family tins the apricots from their orchard and sells them at the winter market.
family tins own orchard fruit — concrete business chain
Eve's grandmother tinned the extra tomatoes from her garden every summer.
Every autumn, workers at the Garcia family's cannery tin two tonnes of fresh peaches for winter sales.
temporal frame + specific quantity — distinguishes from ex32 structure
- tinned fruit
- tinned vegetables
- tinned fish
Grammar Patterns
tin + food item
Usage Note
In American English, the equivalent verb is 'can'. This verb is almost always used in passive or past-participle form (tinned tomatoes, tinned fish).
Common Mistakes
tin — abbreviation
1. a unique number assigned by a tax authority to an individual person or a busines
a unique number assigned by a tax authority to an individual person or a business, used to track tax payments and filings.
Adisa entered his TIN on the tax form before submitting it online.
After registering her bakery, Mei applied for a TIN at the local tax office.
applied for a TIN — concrete registration scenario
The accountant asked for the company's TIN to file its annual tax return.
Rafael wrote his TIN at the top of his tax return before posting it to the office.
wrote TIN on tax return — concrete individual action
- TIN number
- TIN application
- TIN verification
- tax ID
Less formal, commonly used in business contexts
- employer identification number (EIN)
Specific to US business entities
Word family
- tinnedadjectiveB2
- tinnyadjectiveC1
- tinnernounC2
- tinplatenounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
In British English, 'tin' is the everyday word for a sealed metal food container (a tin of beans), while in American English 'can' is standard. 'Container' is a much broader term covering any object that holds something — from plastic boxes to glass jars — and is used in both varieties. 'Canister' specifically describes a container with a tight-fitting lid, often used for dry goods like tea or flour, and may be made of metal, plastic, or glass. For example: a British shopper buys 'a tin of tomatoes' while her American counterpart buys 'a can of tomatoes'; both might keep flour in 'a canister' on the counter; and 'a plastic container' could hold leftovers in either kitchen.
Common collocations
Nouns
- tin opener
- tin foil
- tin mine
- tin roof
- tin ceiling
Adverbs
- lightly tinned
- commercially tinned
Phrases
- tin of beans
- tin of paint
- tin of tuna
- tin of biscuits
Prepositions
- tin of
- tin for
Etymology
Tin comes from Old English 'tin', tracing back to Proto-Germanic '*tiną'. It is related to German 'Zinn' and Dutch 'tin'. The metal has been known since ancient times — it was a key ingredient in bronze, which defined the Bronze Age. Around the 19th century, the word expanded from the metal itself to refer to containers made from tin-plated steel, first for preserving food (the 'tin can' was patented in 1810) and later for a wide range of household storage and cooking uses.