'Ton' definitions:

Definition of 'ton'

noun

A United States unit of weight equivalent to 2000 pounds [syn: short ton, ton, net ton]

noun

A British unit of weight equivalent to 2240 pounds [syn: long ton, ton, gross ton]

From: GCIDE

From: GCIDE

Ton \Ton\ (t[u^]n), n. [Cf. Tunny.] (Zool.) The common tunny, or horse mackerel. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Ton \Ton\ (t[^o]n), n. [F. See Tone.] The prevailing fashion or mode; vogue; as, things of ton. --Byron. [1913 Webster]
If our people of ton are selfish, at any rate they show they are selfish. --Thackeray. [1913 Webster]
Bon ton. See in the Vocabulary. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Ton \Ton\ (t[u^]n), n. [OE. tonne, tunne, a tun, AS. tunne a tun, tub, a large vessel; akin to G. & F. tonne a ton, tun, LL. tunna a tun; all perhaps of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. & Gael. tunna a tun. Cf. Tun,Tunnel.] (Com.) A measure of weight or quantity. Specifically: [1913 Webster] (a) The weight of twenty hundredweight. [1913 Webster]
Note: In England, the ton is 2,240 pounds. In the United States the ton is commonly estimated at 2,000 pounds, this being sometimes called the short ton, while that of 2,240 pounds is called the long ton. [1913 Webster] (b) (Naut. & Com.) Forty cubic feet of space, being the unit of measurement of the burden, or carrying capacity, of a vessel; as a vessel of 300 tons burden. See the Note under Tonnage. [1913 Webster] (c) (Naut. & Com.) A certain weight or quantity of merchandise, with reference to transportation as freight; as, six hundred weight of ship bread in casks, seven hundred weight in bags, eight hundred weight in bulk; ten bushels of potatoes; eight sacks, or ten barrels, of flour; forty cubic feet of rough, or fifty cubic feet of hewn, timber, etc. [1913 Webster]
Note: Ton and tun have the same etymology, and were formerly used interchangeably; but now ton generally designates the weight, and tun the cask. See Tun. [1913 Webster]