pound

pound¹ / pound/ • n. 1. (abbr.: lb) a unit of weight in general use equal to 16 oz. avoirdupois (0.4536 kg). ∎  a unit of weight equal to 12 oz. troy (0.3732 kg) used for precious metals. 2. (also pound ster·ling (pl. pounds ster·ling) ) the basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence. ∎ another term for punt⁴ . ∎  the basic monetary unit of several Middle Eastern countries, equal to 100 piastres. ∎  the basic monetary unit of Cyprus, equal to 100 cents. ∎  a monetary unit of the Sudan, equal to one tenth of a dinar. PHRASES: one's pound of flesh something that one is strictly or legally entitled to, but that it is ruthless or inhuman to demand. pound² • v. [tr.] strike or hit heavily and repeatedly: Patrick pounded the couch with his fists U.S. gunships pounded the capital| [intr.] pounding on the door, she shouted at the top of her voice. ∎  crush or grind (something) into a powder or paste by beating it with an instrument such as a pestle: pound the cloves with salt and pepper until smooth. ∎  [intr.] beat, throb, or vibrate with a strong regular rhythm: her heart was pounding. ∎  [intr.] walk or run with heavy steps: I heard him pounding along the gangway. ∎ inf. defeat (an opponent) in a resounding way: [tr.] the Yankees pounded the Red Sox 22–1. PHRASES: pound the beat (of a police officer) patrol an assigned route or area. pound the pavement walk the streets in an effort to accomplish something: I will pound the pavement from city to city in order to explain the dangers. ∎  search diligently for something, typically for a job: although the country's current jobless rate is small, the number of people pounding the pavement has become a growing worry. PHRASAL VERBS: pound something out type something with heavy keystrokes: an old typewriter on which she pounded out her poems. ∎  produce music by striking an instrument heavily and repeatedly: the women pounded out a ringing tattoo on several oil drums. pound³ • n. a place where stray animals, esp. dogs, may be officially taken and kept until claimed by their owners or otherwise disposed of. ∎  a place where illegally parked motor vehicles removed by the police are kept until their owners pay a fine in order to reclaim them. ∎ archaic a place of confinement; a trap or prison. • v. [tr.] archaic shut (an animal) in a pound.