[pound] n, pl pounds also pound [ME, fr. OE pund, fr. L pondo pound, fr. abl. of pondus weight--more at pendant] (bef. 12c) 1: any of various units of mass and weight: as a: a unit equal to 12 troy ounces or 5760 grains or 0.3732417216 kilogram formerly used in weighing gold, silver, and a few other costly materials b: a unit now in general use among English-speaking peoples equal to 16 avoirdupois ounces or 7000 grains or 0.45359237 kilogram--see weight table
2. a: the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom--called also pound sterling b: any of numerous basic monetary units of other countries (as Cyprus, Egypt, Ireland, Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria) c:
[2]lira
[2]pound n [ME, enclosure, fr. OE pund-] (14c) 1 a: an enclosure for animals; esp: a public enclosure for stray or unlicensed animals "a dog ~" b: a depot for holding impounded personal property until redeemed by the owner "a car ~"
2: a place or condition of confinement
3: an enclosure within which fish are kept or caught; esp: the inner compartment of a fish trap or pound net [3]pound n (1562): an act or sound of pounding [4]pound vb [alter. of ME pounen, fr. OE punian] vt (1594) 1: to reduce to powder or pulp by beating
2. a: to strike heavily or repeatedly b: to produce with or as if with repeated vigorous strokes--usu. used with out "~ out a story on the typewriter" c: to inculcate by insistent repetition: drive "day after day the facts were ~ed home to them --Ivy B. Priest"
3: to move along heavily or persistently "~ed the pavements looking for work" ~ vi 1: to strike heavy repeated blows
2: pulsate, throb "my heart was ~ing" 3 a: to move with or make a heavy repetitive sound b: to work hard and continuously--usu. used with away