Ton \Ton\ (t[u^]n), n. [OE. tonne, tunne, a tun, {AS}. tunne a
tun, tub, a large vessel; akin to G. & F. tonne a ton, tun,
LL. tunna a tun; all perhaps of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. &
Gael. tunna a tun. Cf. {Tun},{Tunnel}.] (Com.)
A measure of weight or quantity. Specifically:
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(a) The weight of twenty hundredweight.
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Note: In England, the ton is 2,240 pounds. In the United
States the ton is commonly estimated at 2,000 pounds,
this being sometimes called the short ton, while that
of 2,240 pounds is called the long ton.
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(b) (Naut. & Com.) Forty cubic feet of space, being the unit
of measurement of the burden, or carrying capacity, of a
vessel; as a vessel of 300 tons burden. See the Note
under {Tonnage}.
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(c) (Naut. & Com.) A certain weight or quantity of
merchandise, with reference to transportation as freight;
as, six hundred weight of ship bread in casks, seven
hundred weight in bags, eight hundred weight in bulk; ten
bushels of potatoes; eight sacks, or ten barrels, of
flour; forty cubic feet of rough, or fifty cubic feet of
hewn, timber, etc.
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Note: Ton and tun have the same etymology, and were formerly
used interchangeably; but now ton generally designates
the weight, and tun the cask. See {Tun}.
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