ton
ton Lexical Profile
ton Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds avoirdupois (907.18 kilograms) in the United States and Canada (short ton) or 2,240 pounds (1,016.05 kilograms) in Great Britain (long ton).
"The freight train was hauling several hundred tons of coal across the state."
An informal term for a very large number, amount, or weight of something.
"I still have a ton of homework to finish before Monday morning."
A unit of internal capacity or volume for ships, typically equal to 100 cubic feet (register ton) or 40 cubic feet (freight ton).
"The new container vessel has a gross register capacity of over fifty thousand tons."
British An informal term for a score of one hundred (especially in cricket), a speed of 100 miles per hour, or a sum of 100 pounds.
"The opening batter scored a magnificent ton before the lunch interval."
Fashionable society, prevailing style, or high social standing (from French borrowing, especially in Regency contexts).
"During the London season, every ambitious family sought the approval of the polite ton."
Word Nuance & Usage
In standard usage, 'ton' denotes 2,000 pounds in the US and 2,240 pounds in the UK, whereas the variant spelling 'tonne' specifically refers to the metric ton of 1,000 kilograms. Do not confuse with its homophone 'tun', which refers to a large wine cask.
• Rhymes for ton
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating as a variant spelling of Middle English 'tunne' (a large cask or barrel), from Old English 'tunne'. The unit of weight developed from the standard capacity of a wine tun used to measure ship cargo in the 14th century.