I. ˈpau̇nd noun
( plural pounds -n(d)z ; also pound )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pund; akin to Old High German phunt pound, Old Norse & Gothic pund; all from a prehistoric Germanic word borrowed from Latin pondo pound; akin to Latin pondus weight — more at pendant
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 — called also troy pound
b. : a unit now in general use among English-speaking peoples equal to 16 avoirdupois ounces or 7000 grains or 0.45359237 kilogram
a 7- pound roast
— called also avoirdupois pound ; see measure table
2.
a. or pound sterling : the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom — see money table
b. or pound scots usually capitalized S : a monetary unit of Scotland before union with England, similar to the English pound but by the time of union much debased in value
c. : any of a number of basic monetary units of other countries (as Ireland, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Sudan) — see money table
d. : a note representing one pound
e. : a gold coin worth or representing one pound unit (as a Syrian gold pound) — see sovereign
f. : lira
•
- pound of flesh
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Britain : to ascertain the variation from standard of (coins) by weighing together the number that should weigh one or more pounds
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: alteration of Middle English pounen, from Old English pūnian; probably akin to Dutch puin rubbish, rubble
transitive verb
1. : to grind with or as if with a mortar and pestle : pulverize , crush
a prescription was being pounded up in a mortar — William Beebe
he was being pounded between … loyalty and the howling respectability of the great world — Donald Davidson
2.
a. : to strike with or as if with heavy blows : beat , hammer
pound nails into a board
pound a typewriter
breakers pound the beach
peaks rose darkly, pounding his senses — Florette Henri
surface vessels continued to pound enemy coastal targets — New York Times
b. : to produce by means of repeated vigorous strokes — usually used with out
pound out a tune on the piano
pound out a story on the typewriter
c. : to compel assimilation of by insistent repetition
day after day the facts were pounded home to them — Ivy B. Priest
— often used with in or into
pound Latin into the head of a youngster — C.M.Fuess
3.
a. : to traverse or proceed along heavily or persistently : lumber , tramp
world's heaviest aircraft pounded and blasted her way down the runway — Lou Stoumen
pounded the pavements trying to find work — Frank O'Leary
b. : to compress by constant trampling
streets … of reddish, clayey earth, pounded to rocklike hardness by countless human feet — Tom Marvel
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to strike repeated blows : beat or knock heavily : thump
talking politely at the conference table instead of pounding on it — Newsweek
their hearts pound , and pulse rate may climb to 160 beats a minute — J.D.Ratcliff
pounds doggedly … at the central theme — Roger Shattuck
specifically : to slap the water violently and repeatedly — used of a ship
if you spread the ballast out … she will be less likely to pound when punching into a hard sea — Peter Heaton
b. : to keep up a battering assault
these thoughts pounded and hammered in her indignant consciousness — J.C.Powys
all day long the sun pounded down through the breathless air — T.O.Heggen
the mother pounds at him for his drinking — Arna W. Bontemps
— often used with away
the two fleets pounded away at each other until nightfall — American Guide Series: Vermont
2.
a. : to move heavily or fast usually with an accompanying repetitive sound of impact : thunder , pelt
on its rocky shore a heavy surf pounds ceaselessly — American Guide Series: Maine
a fast rider was pounding down the road — J.D.Horan
a low-flying Lancaster was pounding home heavily, steadily — Earle Birney
b. : to work hard or hard and continuously — used with away
kept pounding away at his job
c. : to make a thumping noise
the engine was pounding
Synonyms: see beat
•
- pound one's ear
IV. noun
( -s )
: an act of pounding : blow , thud
destroys with heavy pounds his little caricature — Louis Auchincloss
the pound of feet in the passageway
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, enclosure, pound, from Old English pund-
1.
a. : a public enclosure for strays or unlicensed animals : pinfold
dog pound
b. dialect : a pen or enclosure for domestic animals (as cattle or sheep) : barnyard , corral
c. : an enclosure for trapping wild animals
an old buffalo pound , built of logs — American Antiquity
d. : a depot for holding personal property until redeemed by the owner
tow services and pounds for cars tagged for obstructing traffic — J.C.Ingraham
2. : a place or condition of confinement
find his honor in a pound , hemmed by a triple circle round — Jonathan Swift
buckled straps … held the sleeves in pound — P.A.Rollins
3. dialect England : pond
4.
a.
(1) : a confine in which fish are caught or kept ; specifically : the inner compartment of a fish trap or pound net which retains the fish
(2) : pound net
b.
(1) : a tank full of water in which live lobsters are kept
(2) : an establishment selling live lobsters
VI. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English pownen, from pound, n., enclosure, pound
1. archaic : to confine in or as if in an enclosure : pen
2. archaic : to dam up (water) : impound