- pound
- [[t]pa͟ʊnd[/t]]
♦pounds, pounding, pounded1) N-COUNT: num N The pound is the unit of money which is used in Britain. It is represented by the symbol ₤. One British pound is divided into a hundred pence. Some other countries, for example Egypt, also have a unit of money called a pound.
Beer cost three pounds a bottle...
A thousand pounds worth of jewellery and silver has been stolen.
...multi-million pound profits.
...a pound coin.
2) N-SING: the N The pound is used to refer to the British currency system, and sometimes to the currency systems of other countries which use pounds.The pound is expected to continue to increase against most other currencies.
3) N-COUNT: num N, N of n A pound is a unit of weight used mainly in Britain, America, and other countries where English is 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.
4) N-COUNT A pound is a place where dogs and cats found wandering in the street are taken and kept until they are claimed by their owners. [mainly BRIT]5) N-COUNT 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 their owners.6) VERB If you pound something or pound on it, you hit it with great force, usually loudly and repeatedly.[V n] He pounded the table with his fist...
[V prep/adv] Somebody began pounding on the front door...
[V n prep] She came at him, pounding her fists against his chest.
[V-ing] ...the pounding waves.
Syn:7) VERB If you pound something, you crush it into a paste or a powder or into very small pieces.[V n] She paused as she pounded the maize grains.
Syn: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.
Derived words:9) → See also pounding10) PHRASE: usu poss PHR (disapproval) 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.Banks are quick to demand their pound of flesh when overdrafts run a little over the limit.
English dictionary. 2008.
