avoirdupois weight

American  

noun

1. a system of weight measurement based on a pound of 16 ounces or 7,000 grains, in wide use in English-speaking countries; the system is used for goods other than gems, precious metals, and drugs: 27 11/32 grains = 1 dram; 16 drams = 1 ounce; 16 ounces = 1 pound; 112 pounds (Brit.) or 100 pounds (U.S.) = 1 hundredweight; 20 hundredweight = 1 ton. The pound contains 7000 grains. av.; avdp.; avoir.

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avoirdupois weight Scientific  

/ ăv′ər-də-poiz′ /

1. A system of weights and measures based on a pound containing 16 ounces or 7,000 grains, and equal to 453.59 grams. Avoirdupois weight is used in the United States to weigh everything except gems, precious metals, and drugs.

2. Compare troy weight

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Etymology

Origin of avoirdupois weight

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

The quantity in the text, reduced to avoirdupois weight, amounts to twenty-eight hogsheads, at sixteen hundred weight each.--Astl.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time by Kerr, Robert

The long Naval oar is surprisingly full of avoirdupois weight.

From Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis by Hancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)

Black pepper, an ounce; allspice, half an ounce, pounded fine.Nutmeg grated, a quarter of an ounce, avoirdupois weight.

From The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual by Kitchiner, William

The following tabular statement exhibits the actual avoirdupois weight of our equipments—a fair average being taken, some being more and some less than the estimate.   lb. oz.

From Our campaign around Gettysburg Being a memorial of what was endured, suffered and accomplished by the Twenty-third regiment (N. Y. S. N. G.) and other regiments associated with them, in their Pennsylvania and Maryland campaign, during the second rebel invasion of the loyal states in June-July, 1863 by Lockwood, John

The ladies' coloured muslin dresses, mentioned in the table subjoined, cost ten shillings per dress, and each weigh six ounces; the cotton from which they are made weighing nearly six and two-ninth ounces avoirdupois weight.

From On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures by Babbage, Charles