tonnage
or tun·nage
[tuhn-ij]
- the capacity of a merchant vessel, expressed either in units of weight, as deadweight tons, or of volume, as gross tons.
- ships collectively considered with reference to their carrying capacity or together with their cargoes.
- a duty on ships or boats at so much per ton of cargo or freight, or according to the capacity in tons.
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Origin of tonnage
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for tonnage
Contemporary Examples
His death is not commensurate with the tonnage of human suffering he caused.
Historical Examples
No, and if they begin to object you can talk to them about tonnage.
The Company are paid by a tonnage duty, which they charge to the owners.
Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.Pierce Egan
It is the road that can handle the tonnage cheapest that will survive.
The Daughter of a MagnateFrank H. Spearman
Their tonnage was fixed at 7,500, and their maximum speed at twenty-two knots.
The Naval History of the United StatesWillis J. Abbot.
Her tonnage was twice that of the others; her size about 200 by 75 feet.
James B. EadsLouis How
tonnage
tunnage
- the capacity of a merchant ship expressed in tons, for which purpose a ton is considered as 40 cubic feet of freight or 100 cubic feet of bulk cargo, unless such an amount would weigh more than 2000 pounds in which case the actual weight is used
- the weight of the cargo of a merchant ship
- the total amount of shipping of a port or nation, estimated by the capacity of its ships
- a duty on ships based either on their capacity or their register tonnage
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Word Origin
C15: from Old French, from tonne barrel
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for tonnage
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper