Note: The Winchester bushel, formerly used in England,
contained 2150.42 cubic inches, being the volume of a
cylinder 181/2 inches in internal diameter and eight
inches in depth. The standard bushel measures, prepared
by the United States Government and distributed to the
States, hold each 77.6274 pounds of distilled water, at
39.8[deg] Fahr. and 30 inches atmospheric pressure,
being the equivalent of the Winchester bushel. The
imperial bushel now in use in England is larger than
the Winchester bushel, containing 2218.2 cubic inches,
or 80 pounds of water at 62[deg] Fahr.
2. A vessel of the capacity of a bushel, used in measuring; a
bushel measure.
Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or
under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick?
--Mark iv. 21.
3. A quantity that fills a bushel measure; as, a heap
containing ten bushels of apples.
Note: In the United States a large number of articles, bought
and sold by the bushel, are measured by weighing, the
number of pounds that make a bushel being determined by
State law or by local custom. For some articles, as
apples, potatoes, etc., heaped measure is required in
measuring a bushel.
4. A large indefinite quantity. [Colloq.]
The worthies of antiquity bought the rarest pictures
with bushels of gold, without counting the weight or
the number of the pieces. --Dryden.
5. The iron lining in the nave of a wheel. [Eng.] In the
United States it is called a box. See 4th {Bush}.