http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_glass
A
shot glass is a small
glass designed to hold or measure one to three ounces of liquor, to be poured into a mixed drink, or drunk straight from the glass (a "shot"). The modern thick-walled shot glass probably originated in the United States during the
Prohibition era, and the term "shot glass" or "shotglass" first appeared in print in the 1940s.
Jiggeror pony is an earlier name for a container used to measure or drink a standard quantity of liquor. A small glass holding a shot of liquor is called a
whiskey.
American distilleries distributed thin whiskey glasses bearing etched advertising between the late 19th century and the beginning of Prohibition. Shot glasses decorated with a wide variety of advertising, humorous pictures, and toasts are popular souvenirs and collectibles. Pre-prohibition whiskey glasses are also highly collectible.