Avoirdupois


avoirdupois weight.
Informal. bodily weight:
He carries around a lot of excess avoirdupois.
Contemporary Examples

Its owner seems to take as much pride in her bones as the big girls of Rubens could take in their avoirdupois.
Skin, Bones and Beauty Blake Gopnik August 14, 2012

Historical Examples

She had so far successfully fought down an hereditary tendency to avoirdupois.
By the Light of the Soul Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

A single pair has been known to weigh as much as 60 pounds avoirdupois!
The Hunters’ Feast Mayne Reid

The common weight is the pecul, of one hundred and thirty-three and a third pounds, avoirdupois, divided into one hundred catties.
Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat Edmund Roberts

Estimate the value of Westminster Abbey in the avoirdupois measure.
Hieroglyphics Arthur Machen

With the avoirdupois of Miss Jolliboy, life would appear a desert.
Vagabondia Frances Hodgson Burnett

Coal is measured by the ton of two thousand pounds avoirdupois.
Foods and Household Management Helen Kinne

The weight of the amyloid liver may reach ten, twelve, even sixteen pounds avoirdupois.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II Various

We have in fact two kinds of weight measure—troy and avoirdupois.
Carpentry and Woodwork Edwin W. Foster

Or all that we call logic and reasoning ends up as sheer preponderance of avoirdupois.
The Book of the Damned Charles Fort

noun
a system of weights used in many English-speaking countries. It is based on the pound, which contains 16 ounces or 7000 grains. 100 pounds (US) or 112 pounds (Brit) is equal to 1 hundredweight and 20 hundredweights equals 1 ton Abbreviation avdp, avoir
n.

1650s, misspelling of Middle English avoir-de-peise (c.1300), from Old French avoir de pois “goods of weight,” from aveir “property, goods” (noun use of aveir “have”) + peis “weight,” from Latin pensum, neuter of pendere “to weigh” (see pendant (n.)). After late 15c., the standard system of weights used in England for all goods except precious metals, precious stones, and medicine.

avoirdupois av·oir·du·pois (āv’ər-də-poiz’)
n.
Avoirdupois weight.

interjection

A comment protesting that one has heard or had enough or a bit too much

[fr Yiddish, translating genuk shoyn]

Read Also:

  • Avon

    a river in central England, flowing SE past Stratford-on-Avon to the Severn. 96 miles (155 km) long. a river in S England, flowing W to the mouth of the Severn. About 75 miles (120 km) long. a river in S England, flowing S to the English Channel. About 60 miles (100 km) long. a county […]

  • Avon lake

    a town in N Ohio.

  • Avouch

    to make frank acknowledgment or affirmation of; declare or assert with positiveness. to assume responsibility for; vouch for; guarantee. to admit; confess. Historical Examples One of the most sensible and practical of all proverbs, as every body’s experience can avouch. The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 4, April, 1852 Various But it is not so, […]

  • Avouches

    to make frank acknowledgment or affirmation of; declare or assert with positiveness. to assume responsibility for; vouch for; guarantee. to admit; confess. Historical Examples However, said he, if this which he avouches be true, let us arm and out. The Chautauquan, Vol. III, March 1883 The Chautauquan Literary and Scientific Circle As the Old Testament […]

  • Avow

    to declare frankly or openly; own; acknowledge; confess; admit: He avowed himself an opponent of all alliances. Contemporary Examples And if they refuse to so avow, suddenly finding themselves with a challenge from the right? Impeaching Obama May Be Absurd, but That Won’t Stop the Right-Wing Fringe Michael Tomasky August 27, 2013 And if they […]


Disclaimer: Avoirdupois definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.