pound

noun pl. pounds, pound

1. 1. the basic unit of weight in the FPS system, equal to l6 ounces avoirdupois (453.59237 grams)
   2. a unit of weight equal to 12 ounces troy or 12 ounces apothecaries' (373.2418 grams)
2. the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom, equal to 100 (new) pennies: before 1971 a pound was equal to 20 shillings or 240 pennies: symbol, £ (see libra, )
   in full pound sterling
3. any of the basic monetary units of various countries, as Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria
4. a former Scottish monetary unit (pound Scots), originally equal to the British pound
5. Bible mina

Etymology: ME < OE pund, akin to Ger pfund: WGmc loanword < L pondo, a pound, orig. abl. of pondus, weight (in libra pondo, a pound in weight), akin to pendere: see pendant

transitive verb

1. to beat to a pulp, powder, etc.; pulverize
2. to strike or drive with repeated, heavy blows
3. to make by pounding
4. to force or impose pound sense into him

Etymology: altered (with unhistoric -d) < ME pownen < OE punian, akin to Du puin, rubbish

intransitive verb

1. to deliver repeated, heavy blows (at or on a door, etc.)
2. to move with heavy steps or come down heavily while moving
3. to beat heavily; throb

noun

1. the act of pounding
2. a hard blow
3. the sound of this; thud; thump

noun

1. an enclosure, maintained as by a town, for confining stray animals until claimed
2. an enclosure for keeping or sheltering animals
3. an enclosure for trapping animals
4. a place of confinement, as for arrested persons
5. an enclosed area for catching or keeping fish, esp. the inner section of a pound net

Etymology: ME poonde < OE pund- (in comp.), akin to pyndan, to shut up

transitive verb