ullage /ˈʌl.ɪd͡ʒ/noun 6verb 1forms 3 noun6 •In a wine bottle, the empty space between the cork and the top of the wine. •In a cask or barrel, the empty space, occupied by air, that is created by not completely filling the cask or barrel, or through spillage.The dry ullage will be obtained in the same manner, the dry inches being used instead of the wet. — 1840 •In an industrial setting, the empty space in a tank, especially as for fuel. •The topping up of such a barrel with fresh wine. •Additional cargo of little or no value taken on to prevent movement or shifting of the purposive cargo.[…]5 hhds. rum/ 5 bbls. flour/ 1 bbl. sugar/ 9 do. pork/ 1 do. suett/ 3 do. cocoa/ 6 do. peas/ 2 ullage bbls. vinegar[…] — 1815 •[in the plural] (slang, no longer used) Leftover wine surreptitiously drunk by waiters as they clear away the glasses.Mopps […] was draining his vast array of wine-glasses, lest the waiters carrying them off should find any "ullages" in them for surreptitious tippling on stair-cases. — 1862 verb1 •To gauge the amount of empty space between the top of a cask and the level of liquid inside it. formsullaged · ullaging · ullages
