The story
Said to have been performed by Blaise Pascal in 1646 (though not mentioned in his preserved works).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Pascal's barrel
Today it means: A hydrostatic experiment in which a long vertical tube is inserted into an otherwise sealed barrel filled with water. Pouring water into the tube leads to an increase in hydrostatic pressure and causes the barrel to burst. Full definition →