ton
1a unit of weight, equivalent to 2000 pounds (0.907 metric ton) avoirdupois (short ton, or net ton ) in the United States and 2240 pounds (1.016 metric tons) avoirdupois (long ton ) in Great Britain.
Also called freight ton . a unit of volume for freight that weighs one ton, varying with the type of freight measured, as 40 cubic feet of oak timber or 20 bushels of wheat.
a unit of volume used in transportation by sea, commonly equal to 40 cubic feet (1.13 cu. m) (shipping ton, or measurement ton ).
a unit of internal capacity of ships, equal to 100 cubic feet (2.83 cu. m) (register ton ).
Often tons .Informal. a great quantity; a lot: a ton of jokes;tons of wedding presents.
British Informal. a speed of 100 miles per hour.
Origin of ton
1Other definitions for ton (2 of 3)
high fashion; stylishness.
the current fashion, style, or vogue.
the ton, (used with a singular or plural verb) fashionable society.
Origin of ton
2Other words from ton
- ton·ish, ton·nish [ton-ish], /ˈtɒn ɪʃ/, adjective
- ton·ish·ly, ton·nish·ly, adverb
- ton·ish·ness, ton·nish·ness, noun
How to use ton in a sentence
But there's a ton of value for me in my background and my history, and losing it would be a shame.
Some of the things that Jay lied about to the cops actually make a ton of sense.
The Deal With Serial’s Jay? He’s Pissed Off, Mucks Up Our Timeline | Emily Shire | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFor those in the resource world, every ton of junk that goes into a landfill represents wasted energy.
Red squirrels cache the pinecones (saving the bears a ton of work).
So I went in, met Michael Bay, and did the video, and it won an MTV Video Music Award and got me a ton of work.
‘Mockingjay’s’ Mastermind: Francis Lawrence on the Book vs. Movie, ISIS Parallels, and More | Marlow Stern | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The price of salt at one period of the long Peninsular war rose to £30 per ton, being retailed in Birmingham at 4l.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham | Thomas T. Harman and Walter ShowellIf you think the fly-wheel is not sufficiently heavy for his engine, add half a ton more to the ring.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickAt Thetford the cost may be put at from $20 to $25 per ton, the latter probably being nearer the average.
Asbestos | Robert H. JonesBergin dug a big hole behind that ole vacant shack of hisn, and buried about a ton of tin cans.
Alec Lloyd, Cowpuncher | Eleanor GatesA ton of silk goods is worth from ten to fifteen thousand dollars.
British Dictionary definitions for ton (1 of 3)
/ (tʌn) /
Also called: long ton British a unit of weight equal to 2240 pounds or 1016.046909 kilograms
Also called: short ton, net ton US a unit of weight equal to 2000 pounds or 907.184 kilograms
Also called: metric ton, tonne a unit of weight equal to 1000 kilograms
Also called: freight ton a unit of volume or weight used for charging or measuring freight in shipping. It depends on the type of material being shipped but is often taken as 40 cubic feet, 1 cubic metre, or 1000 kilograms: freight is charged at £40 per ton of 1 cubic metre
Also called: measurement ton, shipping ton a unit of volume used in shipping freight, equal to 40 cubic feet, irrespective of the commodity shipped
Also called: displacement ton a unit used for measuring the displacement of a ship, equal to 35 cubic feet of sea water or 2240 pounds
Also called: register ton a unit of internal capacity of ships equal to 100 cubic feet
Origin of ton
1- See also tons
British Dictionary definitions for ton (2 of 3)
/ French (tɔ̃) /
style, fashion, or distinction
Origin of ton
2British Dictionary definitions for ton (3 of 3)
/ (tʌn) /
slang, mainly British a score or achievement of a hundred, esp a hundred miles per hour, as on a motorcycle
Origin of ton
3Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for ton
[ tŭn ]
A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Also called short ton See Table at measurement.
A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 2,240 pounds (1,008 kilograms). Also called long ton See Table at measurement.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with ton
see like a ton of bricks.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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