Emily Dickinson Lexicon

KET'TLE, n. [Sax. cetl, cetel or cytel; G. kessel; D. ketel; Dan. kedel; Sw. kittel; Russ. kotel.]

A vessel of iron or other metal, with a wide mouth, usually without a cover, used for heating and boiling water or other liquor. Among the Tartars, a kettle represents a family, or as many as feed from one kettle. Among the Dutch, a battery of mortars sunk in the earth, is called a kettle. – Encyc.