WordGarden.ioounce
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈaʊns/
US
- /ˈaʊns/
Meanings
Noun
a unit of weight or mass equal to one sixteenth of a pound
a unit for measuring liquid volume
a very small amount
Beyond the definition
An ounce is most commonly known as a small unit for measuring weight. If you buy a pound of coffee, that equals sixteen ounces. For liquids, we usually say "fluid ounce" instead, and that is used for things like perfume, medicine, or drinks. The word is also often used in a figurative way to mean a very small amount of something. You might hear that someone does not have "an ounce of patience" or has "an ounce of courage." So the word can refer to an exact measure or simply to a tiny bit of something.
The word "ounce" has two main everyday uses. First, it is a unit of weight. In the common system used in the United States, one pound equals sixteen ounces, and one ounce is about 28.35 grams. We use it for small amounts of things such as food, mail, and other light items. There is also a "troy ounce," used especially for precious metals like gold and silver, and that is slightly heavier at about 31.1 grams.
Second, in "fluid ounce," it is a unit for measuring volume, especially for liquids. That is why drink bottles, recipe books, and medicine labels often show fluid ounces rather than plain ounces. The word also has a figurative use: people say "an ounce of sense," "an ounce of kindness," or "not an ounce of fear" to mean a very small amount. Its deeper history goes back to the Latin uncia, meaning "a twelfth part." That old idea of a small part helps explain why the word still works so naturally both as a real measurement and as an image for a tiny amount.
Examples
- 1
Recipe measurement
The recipe calls for eight ounces of cream cheese.
- 2
Shipping weight
The package weighs only a few ounces, so it is cheap to mail.
- 3
Liquid measure
This travel bottle holds three fluid ounces of shampoo.
- Phrasefluid ounce
a measure for liquids, often written as fl oz
- 4
Loose goods
The shop sells loose tea by the ounce.
- Phraseby the ounce
priced or measured for each ounce
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
No regret
He didn't show an ounce of regret after the accident.
- Patternnot/didn't ... an ounce of + noun
none at all
- 6
Physical effort
She used every ounce of strength to pull herself up.
- 7
Proverb
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- PhraseAn ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
it is better to stop a problem early than fix it later
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- ouncenoun
Forms
- ouncespluralnoun