From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbucketbuck‧et1 /ˈbʌkɪt/ ●●● S2 noun [countable] 1 
CONTAINERDTan open container with a handle, used for carrying and holding things, especially liquids SYN pail2 (also bucketful)AMOUNT the quantity of liquid that a bucket can holdbucket of a bucket of water3 PART OF MACHINETBCa part of a machine shaped like a large bucket and used for moving earth, water etc4 informalLOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT a large amount of something They were drinking beer by the bucket.bucket of They made buckets of cash on the deal.5 → weep buckets6 → in buckets → kick the bucket at kick1(20), → a drop in the bucket at drop2(8)
CONTAINERDTan open container with a handle, used for carrying and holding things, especially liquids SYN pail2 (also bucketful)AMOUNT the quantity of liquid that a bucket can holdbucket of a bucket of water3 PART OF MACHINETBCa part of a machine shaped like a large bucket and used for moving earth, water etc4 informalLOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT a large amount of something They were drinking beer by the bucket.bucket of They made buckets of cash on the deal.5 → weep buckets6 → in buckets → kick the bucket at kick1(20), → a drop in the bucket at drop2(8)Examples from the Corpus
bucket• On one wall you see a projected image of a man bathing himself from an enameled bucket.• It pays to have friendly neighbours or a large bucket at this stage.• The steamy yellow gruel in the bucket splashed out on to the kitchen floor.• The bucket has teeth the size of a man, and room to park three stretch limos.• Most will walk home later, ashamed that their buckets are empty.bucket of• I needed four buckets of water to wash the car.bucketbucket2 verb → bucket down→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
bucket• He bucketed across the fields and mounted the road at five-fifteen.• The metal body jumped and bucketed beneath her on the ruts.• Trent rode in first gear, headlight tunnelling into the forest gloom through which the rain bucketed.• As she was undressing it began to rain again, and soon it was bucketing down.• At times Rubberneck wept, shed, and for no apparent reason, bucketing tears in dreadful fits of sadness.Origin bucket (1200-1300) Anglo-French buket, from Old English buc “container for pouring liquid, belly” 