pound

pound

pound¹ [pound]

n.

pl. pounds; sometimes, after a number, pound [ME < OE pund, akin to Ger pfund: WGmc loanword < L pondo, a pound, orig. abl. of pondus, weight (in libra pondo, a pound in weight), akin to pendere: see PENDANT]

1.

a) the basic unit of weight in the FPS system, equal to l6 ounces avoirdupois (453.59237 grams)

b) a unit of weight equal to 12 ounces troy or 12 ounces apothecaries' (373.2418 grams): abbrev.

2. lb. (see LIBRA, n. 1): symbol, \#

3. the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom, equal to 100 (new) pennies: before 1971 a pound was equal to 20 shillings or 240 pennies: symbol, £ (see LIBRA, n. 1): see the table of monetary units in the Reference Supplement: in full pound sterling

4. any of the basic monetary units of various countries, as Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria: see the table of monetary units in the Reference Supplement

5. a former Scottish monetary unit (pound Scots), originally equal to the British pound

6. Bible MINA¹

pound² [pound]

vt.

[altered (with unhistoric -d) < ME pownen < OE punian, akin to Du puin, rubbish]

1. to beat to a pulp, powder, etc.; pulverize

2. to strike or drive with repeated, heavy blows

3. to make by pounding

4. to force or impose [pound sense into him]

vi.

1. to deliver repeated, heavy blows (at or on a door, etc.)

2. to move with heavy steps or come down heavily while moving

3. to beat heavily; throb

n.

1. the act of pounding

2. a hard blow

3. the sound of this; thud; thump

SYN.- BEAT

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pound out

1. to flatten, smooth, etc. by pounding

2.

a) to play, as on a piano, with a very heavy touch

b) to produce, as on a typewriter, by intense, unremitting effort

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☆ pound one's ear

Slang to sleep

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☆ pound the pavement

Slang to walk the streets, as in looking for work

pound³ [pound]

n.

[ME poonde < OE pund- (in comp.), akin to pyndan, to shut up]

1. an enclosure, maintained as by a town, for confining stray animals until claimed

2. an enclosure for keeping or sheltering animals

3. an enclosure for trapping animals

4. a place of confinement, as for arrested persons

5. an enclosed area for catching or keeping fish, esp. the inner section of a pound net

vt.

Archaic to confine in a pound