a diminutive of poter, denotes, primarily, a "drinking vessel;" hence, "a cup" (a) literal, as, e.g., in Matthew 10:42 . The "cup" of blessing, 1 Corinthians 10:16 , is so named from the third (the fourth according to Edersheim) "cup" in the Jewish Passover feast, over which thanks and praise were given to God. This connection is not to be rejected on the ground that the church at Corinth was unfamiliar with Jewish customs. That the contrary was the case, see 1 Corinthians 5:7; (b) figurative, of one's lot or experience, joyous or sorrowful (frequent in the Psalms; cp. Psalm 116:18 , "cup of salvation"); in the NT it is used most frequently of the sufferings of Christ, Matthew 20:22,23; 26:39; Mark 10:38,39; 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11; also of the evil deeds of Babylon, Revelation 17:4; 18:6; of Divine punishments to be inflicted, Revelation 14:10; 16:19 . Cp. Psalm 11:6; 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15; Ezekiel 23:32-34; Zechariah 12:2 .