Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense pounds, present participle pounding, past tense, past participle pounded
1. countable noun [num NOUN]
The pound is the unit of money which is used in the UK. It is represented by the symbol £.One UK pound is divided into a hundred pence. Some other countries, for example Egypt, also have a unit of money calleda pound.
Coffee is two pounds a cup.
A thousand pounds worth of jewellery and silver has been stolen.
...multi-million pound profits.
...a pound coin.
The pound is also used to refer to the UK currency system.
The pound is expected to continue to increase against most other currencies.
2. singular noun
The pound is used to refer to the British currency system, and sometimes to the currency systemsof other countries which use pounds.
The pound is expected to continue to increase against most other currencies.
3. countable noun [num NOUN]
A pound is a unit of weight used mainly in Britain, America, and other countries where Englishis spoken. One pound is equal to 0.454 kilograms. A pound of something is a quantity of it that weighs one pound.
Her weight was under ninety pounds.
...a pound of cheese. [+ of]
weight
4. countable noun
A pound is a place where dogs and cats found wandering in the street are taken and kept until they are claimed by theirowners.
5. countable noun
A pound is a place where cars that have been parked illegally are taken by the police and kept until they have been claimed by theirowners.
6. verb
If you pound something or pound on it, you hit it with great force, usually loudly and repeatedly.
He pounded the table with his fist. [VERB noun]
Somebody began pounding on the front door. [VERB preposition/adverb]
She came at him, pounding her fists against his chest. [VERB noun preposition]
...the pounding waves. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: beat, strike, hammer [informal], batter More Synonyms of pound
7. verb
If you pound something, you crush it into a paste or a powder or into very small pieces.
She paused as she pounded the maize grains. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: crush, powder, bruise, bray [dialect] More Synonyms of pound
8. verb
If your heart is pounding, it is beating with an unusually strong and fast rhythm, usually because you are afraid.
I'm sweating, my heart is pounding. I can't breathe. [VERB]
Synonyms: pulsate, beat, pulse, throb More Synonyms of pound
poundinguncountable noun
...the fast pounding of her heart. [+ of]
9. See also pounding
10.
See pound of flesh
More Synonyms of pound
pound in British English1
(paʊnd)
verb
1. (whenintr, often foll by on or at)
to strike heavily and often
2. (transitive)
to beat to a pulp; pulverize
3. (transitive)
to instil by constant drilling
to pound Latin into him
4. (transitive; foll byout)
to produce, as by typing heavily
5.
to walk (the pavement, street, etc) repeatedly
he pounded the pavement looking for a job
6. (intransitive)
to throb heavily
noun
7.
a heavy blow; thump
8.
the act of pounding
Derived forms
pounder (ˈpounder)
noun
Word origin
Old English pūnian; related to Dutch puin rubble
pound in British English2
(paʊnd)
noun
1.
an enclosure, esp one maintained by a public authority, for keeping officially removed vehicles or distrained goods or animals, esp stray dogs
2.
a place where people are confined
3.
a.
a trap for animals
b.
a trap or keepnet for fish
pound net
verb
4. (transitive)
to confine in or as if in a pound; impound, imprison, or restrain
Word origin
C14: from Late Old English pund- as in pundfealdpinfold
pound in British English3
(paʊnd)
noun
1.
an avoirdupois unit of weight that is divided into 16 ounces and is equal to 0.453 592 kilograms
Abbreviation: lb
2.
a troy unit of weight divided into 12 ounces equal to 0.373 242 kilograms
Abbreviation: lb tr, lb t
3.
an apothecaries' unit of weight, used in the US, that is divided into 5760 grains and is equal toone pound troy
4. (not in technical usage)
a unit of force equal to the mass of 1 pound avoirdupois where the acceleration of free fall is 32.174 feet per second per second
Abbreviation: lbf
5.
a.
the standard monetary unit of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and various UK overseas territories, divided into 100 pence
Official name: pound sterling
b.
(as modifier)
a pound coin
6. (the standard monetary unit of the following countries)
a.
Cyprus (formerly): divided into 100 cents
b.
Egypt: divided into 100 piastres
c.
Lebanon: divided into 100 piastres
d.
Sudan: divided into 100 piastres
e.
South Sudan: divided into 100 piastres
f.
Syria: divided into 100 piastres
7. another name for lira (sense 2)
8. Also called: pound Scots
a former Scottish monetary unit originally worth an English pound but later declining in value to 1 shilling 8 pence
9. Also called: punt
the former standard monetary unit of the Republic of Ireland, divided into 100 pence;replaced by the euro in 2002
Word origin
Old English pund, from Latin pondō pound; related to German Pfund pound, Latin pondus weight
Pound in British English
(paʊnd)
noun
Ezra (Loomis). 1885–1972, US poet, translator, and critic, living in Europe. Indicted for treason by the US government (1945) for pro-Fascist broadcasts during World War II, he wascommitted to a mental hospital until 1958. He was a founder of imagism and championed the early work of such writers as T. S. Eliot, Joyce, and Hemingway. His life work, the Cantos (1925–70), is an unfinished sequence of poems, which incorporates mythological and historical materials in several languages as well as political, economic, and autobiographical elements
Pound in American English
(paʊnd)
1.
Ezra (Loomis)1885-1972; U.S. poet, in Italy (1924-45; 1958-72)
2.
Roscoe1870-1964; U.S. educator & legal scholar
pound in American English1
(paʊnd)
verb transitive
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
verb intransitive
5.
to deliver repeated, heavy blows (at or on a door, etc.)
6.
to move with heavy steps or come down heavily while moving
7.
to beat heavily; throb
noun
8.
the act of pounding
9.
a hard blow
10.
the sound of this; thud; thump
SIMILAR WORDS: beat
Idioms:
pound out
pound one's ear
pound the pavement
Word origin
altered (with unhistoric -d) < ME pownen < OE punian, akin to Du puin, rubbish
pound in American English2
(paʊnd)
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
verb transitive
6. Archaic
to confine in a pound
Word origin
ME poonde < OE pund- (in comp.), akin to pyndan, to shut up
pound in American English3
(paʊnd)
nounWord forms: pluralpounds or pound
1.
a.
the basic unit of weight in the FPS system, equal to l6 ounces avoirdupois (453.59237grams)
b.
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: before1971 a pound was equal to 20 shillings or 240 pennies
symbol, £ (see libra (sense 1): 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
mina1
Word origin
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
More idioms containing
pound
in for a penny, in for a pound
your pound of flesh
COBUILD Collocations
pound
strong pound
unwanted pounds
Examples of 'pound' in a sentence
pound
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
In other movies the heroine might pound on the door or scream at this point.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They also work out how much each diet costs them per pound in weight they lose.
The Sun (2016)
The charity collapsed last year after receiving millions of pounds of public money.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Wholesale energy prices have risen because of the weak pound and partial recovery in oil prices.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Surprisingly, studies are showing that they can actually help you to shed pounds.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We understand that the weaker Pound will increase the price of imported grub.
The Sun (2016)
The weak Pound has also made luxury goods cheaper than a year ago.
The Sun (2017)
I returned to the pitch with my head pounding and my heart thumping.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The pound enjoyed one of its best performances in weeks yesterday, jumping 1.3 per cent against the dollar.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Or earn a few extra pounds while shedding a few more windsurfing?
The Sun (2013)
Those are the numbers of calories needed to maintain one pound of weight.
Kowalski, Robert E The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure (1990)
This is because the pound costs more for forward delivery than for spot delivery.
Maurice D. Levi International Finance: The markets and financial management of multinational business. (1983)
The driver pounded his fist on the window and amazingly she backed off.
The Sun (2009)
You would struggle to find a sector for which a strong pound is an unqualified benefit.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The first is to be wary of any increase in the pound.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There was also another pound shop recently set up nearby.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He pounded the door of the large residential building but nobody answered.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Where are the police officers one used to see pounding the beat?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The weaker pound would be supportive to exports.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The usual tip is a couple of pounds or euros.
Thomas Blaikie Blaikie's Guide to Modern Manners (2005)
One million pounds is still considered by most people to be a lot of money.
Brian Hoey AT HOME WITH THE QUEEN: The Inside Story of the Royal Household (2002)
Should you pound the pavement or toil on the treadmill?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
My heart was pounding against my rib cage.
The Sun (2011)
It will help shed pounds from your holiday luggage too with no books to lug around.
The Sun (2012)
So on that timescale it will be worth your mother opting to take the farm money in pounds.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The constant pounding took its toll.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
How a weak pound hits consumers?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The ground has changed with a new multi-million pound main stand housing a hotel.
The Sun (2006)
The supply of pounds is equal to the value of British imports.
Maurice D. Levi International Finance: The markets and financial management of multinational business. (1983)
I was still spending hundreds of pounds in one go.
The Sun (2014)
His mother and father worked in the store and by the age of 7 he could slice a quarter pound of cheese.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
pound
British English: pound /paʊnd/ NOUN
The pound is the unit of money which is used in Britain. It is represented by the symbol £. Some other countries, for example Egypt, also have a unit of money called a pound.
My mum and dad gave me five pounds.
American English: pound
Arabic: جِنِيه
Brazilian Portuguese: libra
Chinese: 磅
Croatian: funta
Czech: libra
Danish: pund
Dutch: pond
European Spanish: libra
Finnish: punta
French: livre poids
German: Pfund
Greek: λίρα
Italian: libbra
Japanese: ポンド
Korean: 파운드
Norwegian: pund
Polish: funt
European Portuguese: libra
Romanian: liră
Russian: фунт
Latin American Spanish: libra peso
Swedish: pund
Thai: เงินปอนด์
Turkish: pound İngiliz ağırlık birimi
Ukrainian: фунт
Vietnamese: đồng bảng
British English: pound VERB
If you pound something or pound on it, you hit it with great force, usually loudly and repeatedly.
He pounded the table with his fist.
American English: pound
Brazilian Portuguese: esmurrar
Chinese: 连续重击
European Spanish: golpear
French: marteler
German: hämmern auf
Italian: battere su
Japanese: バンバンたたく
Korean: 세게 치다
European Portuguese: esmurrar
Latin American Spanish: golpear
Translate your text for free
All related terms of 'pound'
pound net
a fishing trap having an arrangement of standing nets directing the fish into an enclosed net
pound out
to flatten , smooth, etc. by pounding
brown pound
the perceived purchasing power of Britain’s Black and Asian minorities as a group
foot-pound
an fps unit of work or energy equal to the work done when a force of 1 pound moves through a distance of 1 foot
green pound
a unit of account used in calculating Britain's contributions to and payments from the Community Agricultural Fund of the EU
pink pound
the money spent by homosexual people considered collectively
pound cake
a rich fruit cake originally made with a pound each of butter , sugar , and flour
pound coin
a British coin with a value of one pound sterling
pound note
a British bank note with a value of one pound sterling . These banknotes are no longer in use in the UK except in Scotland
pound Scots
an avoirdupois unit of weight that is divided into 16 ounces and is equal to 0.453 592 kilograms
pound sign
the symbol (?£) that represents a pound in British money
pound-foolish
not handling large sums of money wisely
purple pound
the money spent by disabled people considered collectively
quarter pound
a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a pound or 4 ounces avoirdupois
strong pound
The pound is the unit of money which is used in the UK. It is represented by the symbol £. One UK pound is divided into a hundred pence . Some other countries, for example Egypt , also have a unit of money called a pound .
pound sterling
the official name for the standard monetary unit of the United Kingdom
avoirdupois pound
a pound weighing 16 ounces
pound of flesh
If you say that someone demands their pound of flesh , you mean that they insist on getting something they are entitled to, even though it may cause distress to the person it is demanded from.
foot-pound-second
designating or of the British, Canadian , and U.S. system of measurement in which the foot, pound , and second are used as the units of length, mass , and time, respectively
pound one's ear
to sleep
pound the pavement
to walk the streets , as in looking for work
pound cost averaging
a method of accumulating capital by investing a fixed sum in a particular security at regular intervals , in order to achieve an average purchase price below the arithmetic average of the market prices on the purchase dates
your pound of flesh
something you are entitled to, even though you might not need it and it will cause problems for the people you are getting it from
foot-pound-second unit
an Imperial system of units based on the foot, pound , and second as the units of length, mass , and time. For scientific and most technical purposes these units have been replaced by SI units
penny-wise and pound-foolish
careful in small matters but careless in more important ones
in for a penny, in for a pound
said to mean that you are firmly committed to a particular course of action, even though it will probably cost a lot of money or use a lot of resources if you continue
Chinese translation of 'pound'
pound
(paund)
n(c)
(= unit of money) 镑(鎊) (bàng)
(= unit of weight) 磅 (bàng)
(for dogs, cats) 认(認)领(領)所 (rènlǐngsuǒ)
(for cars) 认(認)领(領)场(場) (rènlǐngchǎng)
vt
(= beat)[table, wall, door etc]猛击(擊) (měngjī)
(= crush)[spice, grain etc]捣(搗) (dǎo)
vi
[heart]剧(劇)烈跳动(動) (jùliè tiàodòng)
[head]剧(劇)痛 (jùtòng)
a pound coin1镑(鎊)硬币(幣) (yī bàng yìngbì)
a five-pound note5镑(鎊)纸(紙)币(幣) (wǔ bàng zhǐbì)
half a pound (of sth)半磅(某物) (bànbàng (mǒuwù))
lb
abbr
(= pound) 磅 (bàng)
All related terms of 'pound'
lb
pound 磅 bàng
pound sterling
英镑(鎊) yīngbàng
a pound coin
1镑(鎊)硬币(幣) yī bàng yìngbì
one pound sterling
一英镑(鎊) yī yīngbàng
a five-pound note
5镑(鎊)纸(紙)币(幣) wǔ bàng zhǐbì
20 pence in the pound
每1英镑(鎊)中的20便士 měi yī yīngbàng zhōng de èrshí biànshì