meaning - What does "cup" mean in "cup of cheese"?



I was reading a recipe of macaroni-and-cheese. In Brazil (Portuguese) cheese is sold only by weight.


I understand the concept of cups to measure volume or weight of liquids and powders, but as far as cheese goes, I have no idea what a cup could mean.



  • Is a cup a unit?

  • Can a conceptual cup as unit of measurement be used to measure the volume or weight of a big solid object that would never fit in a cup?

  • What else could cup mean in that sentence?




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