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ounce
ounce a unit of weight of one sixteenth of a pound avoirdupois (approximately 28 grams); a unit of one twelfth of a pound troy or apothecaries' measure, equal to 480 grains (approximately 31 grams). Recorded from Middle English, the word comes via Old French from Latin uncia ‘twelfth part (of a pound or foot)’, also the base of inch.
an ounce of practice is worth a pound of precept proverbial saying, late 16th century, meaning that a small amount of practical assistance is worth more than a great deal of advice; the proverb is found in a number of forms juxtaposing elements of contrasted value. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ounce." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ounce." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ounce.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ounce." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ounce.html |
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ounce
ounce1 / ouns/ • n. 1. (abbr.: oz) a unit of weight of one sixteenth of a pound avoirdupois (approx. 28 grams). ∎ a unit of one twelfth of a pound troy or apothecaries' measure, equal to 480 grains (approx. 31 grams). 2. a very small amount of something: Robin summoned up every ounce of strength. 3. short for fluid ounce. ounce2 • n. another term for snow leopard. |
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"ounce." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ounce." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ounce.html "ounce." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ounce.html |
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ounce
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T. F. HOAD. "ounce." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "ounce." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ounce.html T. F. HOAD. "ounce." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ounce.html |
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ounce
ounce2 †lynx XIII; mountain panther XVIII. — AN. *unce, OF. once, beside lonce (the l of which was taken for the def. art.), repr. Rom. *luncia, f. lynx, lync- LYNX.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "ounce." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "ounce." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ounce1.html T. F. HOAD. "ounce." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ounce1.html |
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ounce
ounce see English units of measurement . |
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"ounce." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ounce." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-ounce2.html "ounce." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-ounce2.html |
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ounce
ounce in zoology: see leopard . |
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Cite this article
"ounce." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ounce." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-ounce1.html "ounce." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-ounce1.html |
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ounce
ounce •askance, expanse, finance, Hans, Hanse, manse, nance, Penzance, Romance
•underpants • happenstance
•advance, Afrikaans, à outrance, chance, dance, enhance, entrance, faience, France, glance, lance, mischance, outdance, perchance, prance, Provence, stance, trance
•nuance • tap-dance • square dance
•freelance • convenance
•cense, commence, common sense, condense, dense, dispense, expense, fence, hence, Hortense, immense, offence (US offense), pence, prepense, pretence (US pretense), sense, spence, suspense, tense, thence, whence
•ring-fence • recompense
•frankincense
•chintz, convince, evince, Linz, mince, Port-au-Prince, prince, quince, rinse, since, Vince, wince
•province
•bonce, ensconce, nonce, ponce, response, sconce
•séance • pièce de résistance
•announce, bounce, denounce, flounce, fluid ounce, jounce, mispronounce, ounce, pounce, pronounce, renounce, trounce
•dunce, once
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Cite this article
"ounce." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ounce." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ounce.html "ounce." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ounce.html |
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