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ton

 - 9 dictionary results
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ton

1  [tuhn] ,
Use ton in a Sentence
–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
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ton

2  [Fr. tawn] ,
–noun, plural tons  [Fr. tawn] .
1. high fashion; stylishness.
2. the current fashion, style, or vogue.
Origin:
1755–65; < F < L tonus tone

Related forms:
ton⋅ish, ton⋅nish  [ton-ish] , adjective
ton⋅ish⋅ly, ton⋅nish⋅ly, adverb
ton⋅ish⋅ness, ton⋅nish⋅ness, noun

-ton

 
a suffix formerly used to form nouns from adjectives: simpleton; singleton.
Origin:
var. of dial. tone one (see tother )
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To 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
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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Idioms & Phrases

ton

see like a ton of bricks.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
TON
threshold odor number
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

ton

unit of weight in the avoirdupois system equal to 2,000 pounds (907.18 kg) in the United States (the short ton) and 2,240 pounds (1,016.05 kg) in Britain (the long ton). The metric ton used in most other countries is 1,000 kg, equivalent to 2,204.6 pounds avoirdupois. The term derives from tun, denoting a large barrel used in the wine trade and named from the French tonnerre, or "thunder," in turn named for the rumbling it produced when rolled. Ton came to mean any large weight, until it was standardized at 20 hundredweight although the total weight could be 2,000, 2,160, 2,240, or 2,400 pounds (from 907.18 to 1088.62 kg) depending on whether the corresponding hundredweight contained 100, 108, 112, or 120 pounds

Learn more about ton with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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