the pot of hospitality
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The pot or cauldron always hanging over the open fire which in Ireland used to be dipped into by anyone who dropped in at meal-times, or required refresh- ment.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the pot of hospitality” mean?
The pot or cauldron always hanging over the open fire which in Ireland used to be dipped into by anyone who dropped in at meal-times, or required refresh- ment.
Is “the pot of hospitality” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.