A barrel or cask that holds half the capacity of a full hogshead, used for storing liquids like wine or beer.
From 'demi-' (half) + 'hogshead,' which comes from Middle English 'hogges' (pig) + 'head,' likely referring to its shape. A hogshead was a large cask; a demihogshead held about 32-45 gallons.
These precise container sizes were international standards—knowing a demihogshead's exact capacity was essential for trade, and different countries sometimes had different definitions, leading to constant merchant disputes.
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