Gal"lon (?), n. [OF galon, jalon, LL. galo,
galona, fr. galum a liquid measure; cf. F. jale large bowl. Cf. Gill a measure.]
A measure of
capacity, containing four
quarts; -- used, for the most part, in
liquid measure, but sometimes in dry measure.
&fist; The standart gallon of the Unites States contains 231 cubic inches, or 8.3389 pounds avoirdupois of distilled water at its
maximum density, and with the
barometer at 30 inches. This is almost exactly equivalent to a cylinder of
seven inches in diameter and six inches in height, and is the same as the old English wine gallon. The beer gallon, now little used in the United
States, contains 282 cubic inches. The English imperial gallon contains
10 pounds avoirdupois of
distilled water at 62&?; of Fahrenheit, and barometer at 30 inches, equal to 277.274 cubic inches.
Hear it pronounced