| the system of weights in British and U.S. use 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. Abbreviation: av.; avdp.; avoir. |
| av. abbr.
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av·e·nue  (āv'ə-nōō', -nyōō')  n.
[French, from Old French, arrival, from feminine past participle of avenir, to approach, from Latin advenīre, to come to; see advent.] |
| av·oir·du·pois (āv'ər-də-poiz') n.
[Middle English avoir de pois, commodities sold by weight, alteration of Old French aveir de peis, goods of weight : aveir, avoir, to have (from Latin habēre; see able) + de, of (from Latin dē, from; see de-) + peis, pois, weight (from Vulgar Latin *pēsum, from Latin pēnsum, past participle of pendere, to hang; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots).] |
avoirdupois weight n.
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 (āv'ər-də-poiz') Pronunciation Key
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. Compare troy weight. |
av.
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| Av. Avestan |
