pub
puhb
Pub (noun) means a public house that serves drinks, especially beer, and often food, common in Britain and Ireland. Example: “The village pub has a roaring fire and a quiz on Thursdays.”
noun
1
A public house that serves drinks, especially beer, and often food, common in Britain and Ireland.
"The village pub has a roaring fire and a quiz on Thursdays."
"We grabbed a pint at the local pub after work."
"The pub down the street shows every football match on a big screen."
verb
1
To go out drinking at pubs.
"We spent Saturday pubbing around town with old school friends."
"They went pubbing after the match to celebrate."
"We're pubbing it tonight instead of cooking dinner."
How to use pub
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bar, especially the traditional British/Irish kind that also serves food and has a social, neighborhood feel.
UK vs US
"Pub" is the standard everyday word in the UK and Ireland; Americans more often say "bar."
Common pairings
down the pub
local pub
pub quiz
pub crawl
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Word forms
- Plural
- pubs
- Third person singular
- pubs
- Past tense
- pubbed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The village _____ has a roaring fire and a quiz on Thursdays.
Etymology
Shortened from "public house."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “pub” mean?
The word “pub” means a public house that serves drinks, especially beer, and often food, common in Britain and Ireland. In plain terms, a bar, especially the traditional British/Irish kind that also serves food and has a social, neighborhood feel.
How do you pronounce “pub”?
“Pub” is pronounced puhb (/pʌb/ in IPA).
How do you use “pub” in a sentence?
Here is “pub” used in a sentence: “We grabbed a pint at the local pub after work.”
What is another word for “pub”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pub” include alehouse, boozer, boozing ken, bousing ken, drinker and drinkery.
What part of speech is “pub”?
Depending on how it is used, “pub” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “pub” a common word?
“Pub” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “pub” have?
“Pub” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a public house that serves drinks, especially beer, and often food, common in Britain and Ireland.
What is the difference between a "pub" and a "bar"?
A "pub," short for public house, is a traditional British and Irish establishment serving drinks, especially beer, and often food, usually with a cosy, social atmosphere. A "bar" is a more general term used worldwide and tends to focus more on drinks than on food or community feel.
Where is the word "pub" most commonly used?
"Pub" is especially common in Britain and Ireland, where public houses are a longstanding part of social life. In other English-speaking countries the word bar is often preferred.
Can "pub" be used as a verb?
Yes. As a verb, to "pub" means to go out drinking at pubs, and it appears in phrases like "pubbing" or "go pub-crawling." This usage is informal.
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