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ton

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈtən// UK //tˈʌn// ton General-service Informal

n. a very large amount of something. In everyday conversation, you use it to show that there is more than enough of what you are talking about.

n. a large quantity or high degree of something. Informal in register; used as a hyperbolic intensifier in spoken English.


SIMPLE

I have a ton of work to do today.

CONTEXTUAL

The new restaurant has a ton of great reviews online, so we should probably book a table early.

COMPLEX

While the technical report was dry, the presenter managed to inject a ton of personality into the summary, making the complex data accessible to the board.

Etymology 1

Variant of tun (“cask”), influenced by Old French tonne (“ton”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French ton (“manner”), from Latin tonus. Doublet of tone, tune, and tonus.

Usage

Commonly used in the plural ('tons of') or singular ('a ton of') to mean 'many' or 'much'.

Pitfall

I have ton of homeworkI have a ton of homeworkWhen used to mean 'a lot', the word requires the indefinite article 'a' before it.

Idioms1 entry

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