Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - cup

~1 n 1 »FOR DRINKING FROM« a small round container with a handle, that you use to drink tea, coffee etc  (a cup and saucer | tea cup/coffee cup)  (a beautiful set of tea cups)  (- compare mug1 (1)) 2 »DRINK« the liquid contained inside a cup  (Would you like another cup?) + of  (a nice hot cup of coffee) 3 »AMOUNT OF LIQUID« a) also cupful the amount of liquid a cup can hold  (She came round to borrow a cupful of sugar.) b) AmE an exact measure of quantity used in cooking in the US, Canada, and New Zealand  (Stir half a cup of sugar and one cup of flour into the batter.) 4 »ROUND THING« something round and hollow that is shaped like a cup  (acorn cups) + of  (the cup of a flower | She held it in the cup of her hand.) 5 »SPORT« a) a specially shaped silver container 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) especially BrE a sports competition  (She's been picked to play in the Wightman Cup.) c) AmE a hole in the ground that you have to try to get the ball into in the game of golf 6 »CLOTHING« the part of a bra that covers a woman's breast 7 »MIXED DRINK« BrE a mixed alcoholic drink  (cider cup | a glass of champagne-cup) 8 not be your cup of tea spoken to not be the sort of thing that you like  (Jazz just isn't my cup of tea - I prefer classical music.) 9 in your cups BrE old-fashioned drunk, or when drunk  (He sometimes attempted to speak French, in his cups.)  (- see also eggcup, loving cup) ~2 v cupped, cupping 1 to hold something in your hands, so that your hands form part of a circle around it  (Phil cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.) 2 cup your hand (s) to make a shape like a cup with your hand or hands  (He cupped his hands and I poured some water into them.)