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long ton

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long ton

 
Use long ton in a Sentence
–noun
See under ton 1 (def. 1). Abbreviation: L.T.
Origin:
1820–30

ton

1  [tuhn] ,
–noun
1. a unit of weight, equivalent to 2000 pounds (0.907 metric ton) avoirdupois (short ton) in the U.S. and 2240 pounds (1.016 metric tons) avoirdupois (long ton) in Great Britain.
2. Also called freight ton. a unit of volume for freight that weighs one ton, varying with the type of freight measured, as 40 cubic feet of oak timber or 20 bushels of wheat.
3. metric ton.
4. displacement ton.
5. a unit of volume used in transportation by sea, commonly equal to 40 cubic feet (1.13 cu. m) (shipping ton or measurement ton).
6. a unit of internal capacity of ships, equal to 100 cubic feet (2.83 cu. m) (register ton).
7. Often, tons. Informal. a great quantity; a lot: a ton of jokes; tons of wedding presents.
8. British Informal. a speed of 100 miles per hour.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME; var. of tun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To long ton
long ton  
n.  See ton.
ton   (tŭn)   
n.   Abbr. t. or tn.

  1. A unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds (0.907 metric ton or 907.18 kilograms). Also called net ton, short ton.

  2. A unit of weight equal to 2,240 pounds (1.016 metric tons or 1,016.05 kilograms). Also called long ton.

  3. A metric ton. See Table at measurement.

  4. A unit of capacity for cargo in maritime shipping, normally estimated at 40 cubic feet.

  5. A unit of internal capacity of a ship equal to 100 cubic feet.

  6. A unit for measuring the displacement of ships, equal to 35 cubic feet, and supposed to equal the volume taken by a long ton of seawater.

  7. Informal

    1. A large extent, amount, or number. Often used in the plural: has a ton of work; gets tons of fan mail.

    2. Used adverbially with a or in the plural to mean "to a great degree or extent" or "frequently": felt a ton better; has seen her tons lately.


[Middle English tonne, a measure of weight; see tun.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ton 
1379, tonne, unit for measuring the carrying capacity of a ship, originally "space occupied by a tun or cask of wine," thus identical to tun (q.v.). The two words were not differentiated until c.1688. The measure of weight is first recorded 1485; the spelling ton is from 1538, and became firmly established 18c. Tonnage (1422) was originally "tax or duty on wine imported in tuns." Modern tonne (1877) is the Fr. form of the word, adopted for Eng. use to denote a metric ton (1,000 kg.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Science Dictionary
long ton  
See ton.
ton   (tŭn)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Also called short ton. See Table at measurement.

  2. A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 2,240 pounds (1,008 kilograms). Also called long ton. See Table at measurement.

  3. See metric ton.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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