From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_056_ecupcup1 /kʌp/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 
for drinking [countable]DFU a small round container, usually with a handle, that you use to drink tea, coffee etc → saucer Mathew picked up the cup and sipped his coffee. She put her cup and saucer down on the table.tea/coffee cup Helen took the coffee cups into the kitchen.paper/plastic/china etc cup They drank cheap wine from plastic cups.2 drink [countable]DFD the liquid contained inside a cupcup of Let’s go and have a cup of coffee. Will you stay for a cup of tea? Would you like another cup?3 amount of liquid/food [countable] a) a unit used in the US for measuring food or liquid in cooking, equal to eight fluid ounces or 237 millilitres Mix the butter with one cup of powdered sugar until light and fluffy. b) (also cupful /ˈkʌpfʊl/)TM the amount of liquid or food that a cup can hold Breakfast consisted of half a cup of milk and a dry biscuit.4 sport competition a) [countable]WIN a specially shaped silver container, often with two handles, that is given as a prize in a competition, especially a sports competition The president of the club came to present the cup to the winners. b) [singular]DS a sports competition in which a cup is given as a prize They’ve won the European Cup twice. Germany’s World Cup team5 round thing [countable]CF something round and hollow that is shaped like a cup The flowers’ white petals contrast handsomely with their lemon-yellow cups. acorn cupscup of She held it in the cup of her hand. 6 golf [countable] American EnglishDSG a hole in the ground that you have to try to hit the ball into in the game of golf7 clothing [countable] a) the part of a bra that covers a woman’s breast b) American English a jockstrap8 alcohol [countable, uncountable]DFD British English a mixed alcoholic drink He’s gone to get me some fruit cup.9 → not be your cup of tea10 → in your cups → eggcupCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + cup fullThe cup was full of hot tea.emptyA girl was clearing away the empty cups.a paper/plastic/china cup (=one made of paper etc)All they had to drink was warm beer in plastic cups.a coffee cupHe picked up the coffee cups and took them into the kitchen.a tea cup (also teacup)Mum put a tea cup and saucer on the table.verbsfill a cupAngie filled the cup and handed it to him.drain/empty a cup (=drink all the coffee, tea etc in it)He lifted his cup of coffee and drained it.phrasesa cup and saucerDo you prefer a mug or a cup and saucer?a set of cupsa set of beautiful blue coffee cups
for drinking [countable]DFU a small round container, usually with a handle, that you use to drink tea, coffee etc → saucer Mathew picked up the cup and sipped his coffee. She put her cup and saucer down on the table.tea/coffee cup Helen took the coffee cups into the kitchen.paper/plastic/china etc cup They drank cheap wine from plastic cups.2 drink [countable]DFD the liquid contained inside a cupcup of Let’s go and have a cup of coffee. Will you stay for a cup of tea? Would you like another cup?3 amount of liquid/food [countable] a) a unit used in the US for measuring food or liquid in cooking, equal to eight fluid ounces or 237 millilitres Mix the butter with one cup of powdered sugar until light and fluffy. b) (also cupful /ˈkʌpfʊl/)TM the amount of liquid or food that a cup can hold Breakfast consisted of half a cup of milk and a dry biscuit.4 sport competition a) [countable]WIN a specially shaped silver container, often with two handles, that is given as a prize in a competition, especially a sports competition The president of the club came to present the cup to the winners. b) [singular]DS a sports competition in which a cup is given as a prize They’ve won the European Cup twice. Germany’s World Cup team5 round thing [countable]CF something round and hollow that is shaped like a cup The flowers’ white petals contrast handsomely with their lemon-yellow cups. acorn cupscup of She held it in the cup of her hand. 6 golf [countable] American EnglishDSG a hole in the ground that you have to try to hit the ball into in the game of golf7 clothing [countable] a) the part of a bra that covers a woman’s breast b) American English a jockstrap8 alcohol [countable, uncountable]DFD British English a mixed alcoholic drink He’s gone to get me some fruit cup.9 → not be your cup of tea10 → in your cups → eggcupCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + cup fullThe cup was full of hot tea.emptyA girl was clearing away the empty cups.a paper/plastic/china cup (=one made of paper etc)All they had to drink was warm beer in plastic cups.a coffee cupHe picked up the coffee cups and took them into the kitchen.a tea cup (also teacup)Mum put a tea cup and saucer on the table.verbsfill a cupAngie filled the cup and handed it to him.drain/empty a cup (=drink all the coffee, tea etc in it)He lifted his cup of coffee and drained it.phrasesa cup and saucerDo you prefer a mug or a cup and saucer?a set of cupsa set of beautiful blue coffee cups Examples from the Corpus
cup• Thoroughly mix the butter with 1 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy.• Poor Vanessa was stabbing a cigarette, a cup of tea, another cigarette, hopping from one foot to the other.• You know, what you need is a cup of coffee, Mrs Lueger.• a cup and saucer• He lined up coffee cups, tea glasses, and dessert plates.• The fish came with a little cup of tartar sauce.• Strain fat from skillet and strain through paper towel into heatproof measuring cup.• The little brown bottle caught my eye again, and putting my cup and saucer down I uncapped and re-examined it.• She put Jake's cup away in her bedside locker.• The winner stood on the platform, holding the cup above her head.• The Queen presented the cup to the captain of the winning team.• She nodded and put the cup down.• Have some one put the cup or can about 8 to 12 inches in front of you on the floor.• When did Argentina win the World Cup?cup and saucer• A cup and saucer stand is $ 30.• It has eight plates, eight cups and saucers, a coffee pot, a creamer and a sugar bowl.• Dinner plate, £5.50; side plate, £3.50; espresso cup and saucer, £3.95.• As she fetched sugar and milk and her favourite cup and saucer, she made up her mind to break with him.• The table was set with matching cups and saucers, bright silverware, old plates and a small pitcher of milk.• The little brown bottle caught my eye again, and putting my cup and saucer down I uncapped and re-examined it.• Now he gapes at the cup and saucer, tottering at the end of his extended arm.• A frying pan, utensils, cups and saucers.cup of• Let me get you a cup of coffee.• She held it in the cup of her hand.• the cup of a flowerwon the ... Cup• In the ground it was, as Strach said, as if we'd won the cup or something.• Norton's Coin had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.• Allan Wells had won the 1981 World Cup 100 metres here, fully vindicating his Olympic win of the previous year.• Rovers have won the Cup a record 22 times.• For Desert Orchid, it was a return to the course where he won the Gold Cup.• Manchester City had just won the League Cup and this was the night of their gala celebrations.• It was national absolution: they won the World Cup but we played football.fruit cup• A typical menu consisted of tomato surprise, assorted cold meats, sandwiches, fruit cup, cake, and hot coffee.• He knew there had been alcohol in the fruit cup, and plenty of it.cupcup2 verb (cupped, cupping) [transitive] 1 HOLDto hold something in your hands, so that your hands form part of a circle around it He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Luke was sitting at his desk, one hand cupping his chin.2 → cup your hand(s)→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
cup• Again she cupped her own mug in both hands and sat there sipping.• He leaned an elbow on the desk and cupped his chin in his hand.• Periodically, Felix will turn to Manny, cup his hand and explain to him what has been said.• Trying by cupping his hand over the clasps to avoid the penetrating clicks of opening, George lifted the lid.• Urquhart cupped the glass of wine in his hands.cupped ... face• Slowly he raised one hand and gently cupped her face.• He moved towards her and cupped her face in his hands.Cup, thethe CupCup, the British English an informal name for the FA CupOrigin cup1 Old English cuppe, from Late Latin cuppa, from Latin cupa “barrel” 