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ton

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The definition of a ton is a unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds in the United States, Canada, South Africa and other countries and equal to 2,240 pounds in Great Britain, or is slang for a large amount.

(noun)

An example of a ton is the possible weight of a female walrus.
An example of a ton is getting 20 chapters read when you usually only get 10 read in the same period of time.

See ton in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. tons, ton

a unit of weight, equal to 2,000 pounds avoirdupois (907.1847 kilograms or 0.90718 metric ton or 0.8929 long ton), commonly used in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, etc.
in full short ton
a unit of weight, equal to 2,240 pounds avoirdupois (1,016.0469 kilograms or 1.016 metric tons or 1.12 short tons), commonly used in Great Britain
in full long ton
metric ton
a unit of internal capacity of ships, equal to 100 cubic feet (or 2.8317 cubic meters)
in full register ton
a unit of carrying capacity of ships, usually equal to 40 cubic feet
also called measurement ton or freight ton
a unit for measuring displacement of ships, equal to 35 cubic feet: it is approximately equal to the volume of a long ton of sea water
in full displacement ton
☆ a unit of cooling capacity of an air conditioner, equal to 12,000 Btu per hour
Informal a very large amount or number

Origin: var. (differentiated (17th-c.) for senses “weight, measure”) of tun

noun

style; vogue

Origin: Fr: see tone

See ton in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun Abbr. t. or tn.

A unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds (0.907 metric ton or 907.18 kilograms). Also called net ton, short ton.
A unit of weight equal to 2,240 pounds (1.016 metric tons or 1,016.05 kilograms). Also called long ton.
A metric ton. See Table at measurement.
A unit of capacity for cargo in maritime shipping, normally estimated at 40 cubic feet.
A unit of internal capacity of a ship equal to 100 cubic feet.
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.
Informal
a. A large extent, amount, or number. Often used in the plural: has a ton of work; gets tons of fan mail.
b. 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.