ton
noun /tʌn/
/tʌn/
Idioms - [countable](plural tons, ton)a unit for measuring weight, in the UK 2 240 pounds (long ton) and in the US 2 000 pounds (short ton)
- (informal) What have you got in this bag? It weighs a ton (= is very heavy).
- [countable] a unit for measuring the size of a ship. 1 ton is equal to 100 cubic feet.
- tons[plural] (informal) a lot
- They've got tons of money.
- I've still got tons to do.
- a/the ton(British English, informal) 100, especially when connected with a speed of 100 miles per hour
- He was caught doing a ton.
Word OriginMiddle English: variant of tun, both spellings being used for the container and the weight. The senses were differentiated in the late 17th cent.
Idioms
like a ton of bricks
- (informal) very heavily; very severely
- Disappointment hit her like a ton of bricks.
- They came down on him like a ton of bricks (= criticized him very severely).