Avoirdupois

The name of a weight. This kind of weight is so named, in distinction from the Troy weight. One pound avordupois contains seven thousand grains Troy; that is, fourteen ounces, eleven pennyweights and sixteen grains Troy; a pound avoirdupois contains sixteen ounces; and an ounce, sixteen drachms. Thirty-two cubic feet of pure spring water, at the temperature of fifty-six degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer, make a ton of two thousand pounds avoirdupois, or two thousand two hundred and forty pounds net weight. Dane, Abr. c. 211, art 12, § 6. The avpirdupois ounce is less than the Troy ounce in the proportion of 72 to 79, though the pound is greater. Enc. Amer. "Avoirdupois." For the derivation of this phrase, see Barr. Obs. St. 206. See the Report of Secretary of State of the United States to the Senate, February 22, 1821, pp. 44, 72, 76, 79, 81, 87, for a learned exposition of the whole subject.

averdupois, /»■. The name of the common system of weights in England and the United States, by which goods, other than precious stones and metals, and medicines, are weighed.

^wrdwpow. Fr.[from avoir du poids, or aver de peys, to have the proper weight; or from averer, to verify, to be of the true weight; L. Lat. averium ponderisI\ The name of the common system of weights in England and the United States, by which goo Ss in genwral, except precious stones and metals, and medicines, are weighed. Brande. The pound avoirdupois consists of sixteen ounces, and is supposed to be so called because it is of greater weight than the troy pound. Cowell, Blount The term was also anciently applied to merchandizes weighed by this weight. Id. Temies de la ley, Eelham translates avoir de pois, " any bulky commodities." This kind of weight has been expressly adopted in some of the United States by statute. 1 JV. Y. Bev, St. [608] 617, §§ 9, 10.

comm. law. A French phrase which signifies "to have weight." This kind of weight is so named in distinction from the Troy weight. One pound avoir du pois contains 7000 grains Troy; that is, fourteen ounces, eleven pennyweights and sixteen grains Troy; a pound avoir du pois contains sixteen ounces, and an ounce sixteen drams. Thirty-two cubic feet of pure spring-water at the temperature of fifty-six degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer make a ton of 2000 pounds avoir du pois, or two thousand two hundred and forty pounds net weight. Dane's Abr. ch. 211, art. 12, § 6. The avoir du pois ounce is less than the troy ounce in the proportion of 72 to 79; though the pound is greater. Encyc. Amer. art. Avoir du pois.