ton

/tʌn/ noun [C] MEASURES

Definition

› a unit for measuring weight. In the UK a ton is equal to 1,016 kilograms or 2,240 pounds. In the US a ton is equal to 907.18 kilograms or 2,000 pounds. A metric ton is equal to 1000 kilograms or 2,205 pounds: The factory produced 14,000 tons of soap a week. The door weighed 3 tons. They had a fleet of ten-ton trucks.

› a unit for measuring the size of ships. A ton is equal to 100 cubic feet: The river can receive vessels of up to 600 tons.

tons of informal › a lot of: We've had tons of replies to our advertisement.

→ See also long ton, metric ton, short ton

(Definition of ton noun from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)