noun

pound

POWND

noun

The main unit of currency in the United Kingdom, and a unit of weight equal to 16 ounces (about 454 grams).

"The coffee cost three pounds fifty at the local café."

"She lost five pounds after cutting out sugar for a month."

A place where stray animals, or illegally parked vehicles, are held until claimed.

"They found their missing dog at the local animal pound."

verb

To hit something repeatedly and hard.

"He pounded on the door until someone finally answered."

"Waves pounded against the rocks all night."

To beat strongly or throb, as a heart or head.

"Her heart was pounding after the near-miss on the motorway."

How to Use Pound

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither British money, a unit of weight, or hitting/throbbing hard and repeatedly.

UK vs US

The pound (£) is UK currency; Americans use dollars, so "pound" there mostly means the weight unit or an animal shelter.

Common pairings

pound sterling pound the table heart pounding dog pound

Word Forms

pounded past tense, pounded past tense, pounded past tense, pounds plural, pounds plural, Pounds plural, pounds singular, pounds singular, pounds singular

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Fill the Gap

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The coffee cost three _____ fifty at the local café.

Etymology

From Old English pund, from a Germanic borrowing of Latin pondo, "by weight" — the currency and the unit of weight share the same root.

Synonyms

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buffet

Related Words

hit buffet

Rhymes for pound

wound sound bound found round hound mound abound ground around rebound impound

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