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peck

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An English unit of dry capacity equal to two gallons or one-quarter bushel, approximately 537 cubic inches; used for grain and produce.

Detailed Definition
The peck, measuring two gallons or one-quarter bushel (about 8.8 liters), was fundamental to grain and produce trade. Four pecks equaled one bushel. The measure appears in proverbs ("peck of troubles") and everyday agricultural contexts. In poetry concerning farming, markets, or rural life, peck provides authentic measurement for modest quantities. The term evokes agricultural commerce, market transactions, and household provisioning. Poets employed pecks when treating rural or market scenes, grounding descriptions in authentic agrarian measurement and connecting readers to traditional agricultural and commercial practices through familiar yet period-specific terminology.
Example
Example in poetry:
In agricultural poetry, "two pecks of apples for the pie" grounds domestic scenes in traditional measurement; Market poetry often uses "the farmer sold pecks of potatoes, counting out coins for each wooden measure"; In verse about harvest abundance, "bushels and pecks overflowing, the barn floor golden with plenty"; The proverb "a peck of troubles" appears in poetry exploring difficulty and burden; Poetry about rural economy describes "she bought flour by the peck, calculating carefully how long winter provisions must last"; Modern poets writing about farmers' markets might contrast "grandmother bought pecks; I buy plastic bags—same vegetables, different transactions, different worlds."
Additional Notes
The peck's size (2 gallons = 1/4 bushel ≈537 cubic inches) makes it practical household quantity bridging individual and bulk measures. Students should understand that peck represents manageable amounts for market purchases—neither single servings nor wholesale lots. The term appears in agricultural contexts, market scenes, and proverbial expressions ("peck of troubles" meaning substantial problems). Understanding that 4 pecks = 1 bushel helps students grasp graduated dry measure system. In poetry about markets, rural economy, or modest quantities, pecks provide authentic measurement scale. The peck's familiarity from proverbs makes it more accessible than obscure measures. Students should recognize peck's dual literal and metaphorical uses—actual grain measurement and symbolic quantity of problems. Related terms include bushel, coomb, and strike, all dry grain measures. For students writing about agricultural markets, harvest, or rural commerce, pecks ground descriptions in authentic measurement vocabulary. The peck can represent modest sufficiency, market-scale quantities, or the intersection of literal and metaphorical measurement. The term evokes market baskets, farm stands, and traditional commerce where human-carried quantities mattered.
Also Known As
peck measure
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