411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Pythagorean cup
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
English
thumb|300px|The cross section of a Pythagorean cup being filled: at B, it is possible to drink all the liquid in the cup; but at C, the siphon effect causes the cup to drain (D).
Alternative forms
en Pythagoras cup
Etymology
Credited to Pythagoras of Samos.
Noun
A practical joke device in a form of a drinking cup, sometimes used to make statements about greed. When it is filled beyond a certain point, a siphoning effect causes the cup to drain its entire contents through the base.
Synonyms
greedy cup, Tantalus cup; beaker of righteousness
Translations
joke device
Dutch: nl Tantalusbeker, nl beker van rechtvaardigheid
Further reading
en eponyms