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Pound: Meanings, Examples & Common Uses (3 meaning)
Meaning 1：British currency unit (pound)
pound
/paʊnd/
n., v.
The main unit of money used in the UK, like dollars in the US or euros in Europe.
British currency unit
➕
/ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈkʌrənsi ˈjuːnɪt/
n., v.
The basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom, symbolized by £ and used in everyday transactions like buying goods or services.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'pondus' (weight) via Old French 'pound'.
💡 Mnemonic
Imagine a heavy metal weight labeled '1 lb' that you use to press down on a stack of coins, both weighing and paying.
📖 Example
This drink costs three pounds at the coffee shop.
This drink costs three pounds at the coffee shop.
🔗 Collocations
pound sterling – The official name of the British currency, often used in formal contexts.
five pounds – A specific amount of money equal to five units of British currency.
pound coin – A circular metal coin with a face value of one pound, commonly used in daily life.
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
The British pound sterling originated from a pound weight of silver. Both the weight unit and currency share this Latin root, reflecting medieval trade practices.
Meaning 2：weight unit (pound)
pound
/paʊnd/
n., v.
A unit for measuring weight. One pound is equal to 16 ounces, or about 0.45 kilograms.
weight unit
➕
/weɪt ˈjuːnɪt/
n., v.
A standard unit for measuring weight, equal to 16 ounces or approximately 0.45 kilograms, used in everyday contexts like cooking or shipping.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The recipe says we need half a pound of minced meat for the burgers.
The recipe says we need half a pound of minced meat for the burgers.
🔗 Collocations
pound of butter – A common package size for butter in many countries, typically 453 grams.
weigh a pound – To have a weight of exactly one pound, often used for produce or parcels.
pound cake – A dense cake originally made with a pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs.
🔄 Synonyms
lb (abbr.) – Abbreviation for pound, from Latin 'libra pondo', used in recipes and labels.
sixteen ounces (n.) – Equivalent measurement, often used to describe the same weight.
0.45 kg (n.) – Metric approximation of one pound.
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
poundal (n.) – A unit of force in the foot-pound-second system, equal to the force that accelerates 1 pound by 1 ft/s².
pound-weight (n.) – A piece of metal of known weight used for calibration or as a counterweight.
Meaning 3：to strike repeatedly (pound)
pound
/paʊnd/
n., v.
To hit something hard and repeatedly, like with a fist or a hammer, or for a heart to beat very hard and fast.
to strike repeatedly
➕
/tuː straɪk rɪˈpiːtɪdli/
n., v.
To hit something hard and many times, often with a fist or a heavy object, or to describe a heart beating very fast and strongly due to emotion or exertion.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
After running up the stairs, my heart started to pound in my chest.
After running up the stairs, my heart started to pound in my chest.
🔗 Collocations
pound on the door – To hit a door hard and repeatedly, often to get attention.
heart pounds – Describes the sensation of a heart beating forcefully, usually from fear, excitement, or exercise.
pound the table – To strike a table with a fist to emphasize anger or frustration.
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
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