water containers

[curiousmarcus]

What do you call these? Just water containers? How do you differentiate between the two?

Edit: Do you call the "faucet" on the first image a faucet?

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd call the first one a canister. It has a tap (BrE)/faucet (AmE) at the bottom. The second is a dispenser tank for a water cooler.

 

[GoesStation]

I call the valve a spigot.

The container in the bottom picture is a five-gallon jug or a carboy.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I call them both jugs. I call the second one a bottle.

 

[Skrej]

The top one is also called a jerry can. The 2nd one I'd call a water bottle.

The valve is called a spigot or tap. Note that in AmE although 'tap' isn't used to refer to a regular water faucet such as on a sink, we might use it here.

 

[GoesStation]

Note that in AmE although 'tap' isn't used to refer to a regular water faucet such as on a sink, we might use it here.

In some regions and some expressions, "tap" for a water faucet is common in AmE.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would say that the first jug had a tap on it. "Faucet" would be associated with plumbing, like in your kitchen or bathroom sinks.

The connection outside your house for attaching a garden hose is a spigot.

 

[jutfrank]

I'd call the top one a jerry can, with a tap.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

The top one is also called a jerry can. The 2nd one I'd call a water bottle.

The valve is called a spigot or tap. Note that in AmE although 'tap' isn't used to refer to a regular water faucet such as on a sink, we might use it here.

Yep, we usually say "faucet," but sometimes we say "tap," too.

We say "tap water" when we're distinguishing it from spring water or bottled water (which is usually tap water once removed).

 

[curiousmarcus]

Wow, lots of options. After checking with Google Images, I think I'll go with carboy and jerry can with spigot.

 

[GoesStation]

Wow, lots of options. After checking with Google Images, I think I'll go with carboy and jerry can with spigot.

Carboy is somewhat specialized vocabulary. There's nothing wrong with it, but you shouldn't assume your readers will know what it means.

 

[curiousmarcus]

Carboy is somewhat specialized vocabulary. There's nothing wrong with it, but you shouldn't assume your readers will know what it means.

Can it be used conversationally? Like when talking about carboys specifically used for water, such as the image below, can I say Get me those empty carboys from the garage, not the jerry cans. We're going to have them refilled.

 

[GoesStation]

Only if you know your interlocutor is familiar with the term. I'd say five-gallon jugs in that situation.

 

[emsr2d2]

I've never heard or used the word "carboy" for the plastic container used on water coolers.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would think a "carboy" was some sort of servant.

 

[Skrej]

Me either. For me, a carboy is the container for the fermentation stage of brewing.

 

[GoesStation]

Me either. For me, a carboy is the container for the fermentation stage of brewing.

That's one of the uses for one of those big bottles. I think I learned the name for them when I was doing some home brewing.

 

[Barb_D]

That's one of the uses for one of those big bottles. I think I learned the name for them when I was doing some home brewing.

Me too.

 

[curiousmarcus]

So it's five-gallon jug and jerry can ​then.

 

[Tdol]

The top one is also called a jerry can.

I'd use the same term, but would write it as one word.