pound

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[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English, from Old English pund (“a pound, weight”), from Proto-Germanic *pundan (“pound, weight”), an early borrowing from Latin pondō (“by weight”), ablative form of pondus (“weight”), from Proto-Indo-European *pend-, *spend- (“to pull, stretch”). Cognate with Dutch pond, German Pfund, Swedish pund.

[edit] Noun

pound (plural pounds)

  1. Short for pound-force, a unit of force/weight.
  2. A unit of mass equal to 16 avoirdupois ounces (= 453.592 37 g)
  3. A unit of mass equal to 12 troy ounces (≈ 373.242 g).
  4. (US) The symbol # (octothorpe, hash)
  5. The unit of currency of used in the United Kingdom and its dependencies.
  6. Any of various units of currency used in Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, and formerly in the Republic of Ireland and Israel.
[edit] Usage notes
  • Internationally, the "pound" has most commonly referred to the UK pound (Pound Sterling). The other currencies were usually distinguished in some way, e.g., the "Irish pound" or the "punt".
  • In the vicinity of each other country calling its currency the pound among English speakers the local currency would be the "pound", with all others distinguished, e.g., the "British pound".
[edit] Synonyms
  • (16 avoirdupois ounces): lb
  • (12 troy ounces): lb t
  • (UK unit of currency): £, pound sterling
  • (Other units of currency): punt (the former Irish currency)
  • (# symbol): hash (UK), sharp
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] See also
[edit] Translations
pound-force — see pound-force
unit of mass (16 ounces avoirdupois)
US: symbol # — see pound sign
unit of currency

[edit] Etymology 2

From Middle English pounde, from Old English pyndan (“to enclose, impound”).

[edit] Noun

pound (plural pounds)

  1. A place for the detention of stray or wandering animals.
  2. A place for the detention of automobiles that have been illegally parked, abandoned, etc.
  3. The part of a canal between two locks, and therefore at the same water level.
[edit] Usage notes
[edit] Translations
place for the detention of stray animals
place for detention of automobiles
hard blow
part of canal
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

[edit] Etymology 3

From Middle English pounden, alteration of pounen, from Old English pūnian. Likely influenced by Etymology 2 Middle English pounde, from Old English pyndan (“to enclose, impound”), in relation to the hollow mortar for pounding with the pestle.

[edit] Verb

pound (third-person singular simple present pounds, present participle pounding, simple past and past participle pounded)

  1. (transitive) To strike (something or someone) hard repeatedly.
  2. (transitive) To crush to pieces; to pulverize.
  3. (transitive, slang) To eat or drink very quickly.
    You really pounded that beer!
  4. (transitive, baseball, slang) To pitch consistently to a certain location.
    The pitcher has been pounding the outside corner all night.
  5. (intransitive, of a heart) To beat strongly.
    As I tiptoed past the sleeping dog, my heart was pounding but I remained silent.
  6. (intransitive, of a body part, especially the head) To throb.
    My head was pounding.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
to strike hard repeatedly
crush to pieces
slang: eat or drink quickly
[edit] See also

[edit] Noun

pound (plural pounds)

  1. A hard blow.
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