ounce
gb/ˈaʊns/ us/ˈaʊns/
B1
English
~ 8100
uncia, szemernyi, cseppnyi, folyadékuncia, trójai uncia, hópárduc, irbisz
NOUN
B1
1
uncia
B2
Usage pattern:
[number] ounce(s) of [something]
The recipe calls for eight ounces of flour.
A recepthez nyolc uncia liszt kell.
This letter weighs less than an ounce, so it only needs one stamp.
Ez a levél kevesebb mint egy unciát nyom, ezért elég rá egy bélyeg.
She bought ten ounces of cheese at the market.
The baby bird was only a few ounces when it hatched.
Learner examples
I need two ounces of sugar for this cake.
Ehhez a tortához két uncia cukorra van szükségem.
This steak is eight ounces.
Ez a steak nyolc unciás.
The package is light; it is only one ounce.
He lost ten ounces after one week on the diet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'ounce' with 'pound' or 'gram'. Remember that one pound equals sixteen ounces, and one ounce is about 28 grams. Also, in recipes, 'ounce' can refer to weight, not volume, unless it says 'fluid ounce'.
Meaning
unit of weight (28 grams)
Collocations
an ounce of cheese
|four ounces of meat
|a few ounces
|ounces of silver
|weighs six ounces
Synonyms
unit of weight (More general and descriptive; does not specify the size of the unit.)
|
gram (A metric unit; not the same size as an ounce but often used for similar everyday measurements.)
Antonyms
ton (Represents a very large weight, contrasting with the very small size of an ounce.)
Themes
measurement
|cooking
|science
|daily_life
Definition
A small unit for measuring weight, equal to about 28 grams or one sixteenth of a pound.
A unit of weight in the imperial and US customary systems, equal to one sixteenth of a pound, or about 28 grams.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
not an ounce of [uncountable noun]
He showed not an ounce of fear during the storm.
A vihar alatt egy szemernyi félelmet sem mutatott.
She did that without an ounce of shame.
Egy szemernyi szégyenérzet nélkül tette.
It took every ounce of courage he had to speak up.
There isn’t an ounce of honesty in that statement.
Use an ounce of sense and check your facts first.
Learner examples
She has not an ounce of patience with her little brother.
Egy szemernyi türelme sincs a kisöccséhez.
He used every ounce of strength to lift the box.
Minden erejét összeszedte, hogy felemelje a dobozt.
They showed not an ounce of respect to their teacher.
I needed every ounce of courage to talk to my boss.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'ounce' alone to mean 'a small amount' in positive sentences (e.g. *'I have an ounce of money'*). More natural choices are 'a little money' or 'a bit of money'. 'Ounce' for a tiny amount is most common in fixed phrases like 'not an ounce of' or 'every ounce of', especially with abstract nouns like 'courage', 'respect', or 'patience'.
Meaning
very small amount (figurative)
Collocations
not an ounce of
|without an ounce of
|every ounce of
|an ounce of sense
|an ounce of respect
Synonyms
bit (A general informal word for a small amount; not as strongly emphatic or negative as 'not an ounce of'.)
|
shred (Often used like 'not a shred of'; similar strength, but more common with words like 'evidence' or 'proof'.)
Antonyms
a lot (Represents a large amount, the opposite of a tiny or almost non‑existent amount.)
|
ton (Informal; used figuratively for a very large amount, contrasting with the tiny amount suggested by 'ounce'.)
Themes
emotions
|evaluation
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very, very small amount of something, usually used for feelings or qualities, often in a negative sentence.
A very small amount of something, especially a quality such as emotion, intelligence, or courage, often used in negative or emphatic expressions.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
[number] fluid ounce(s) of [liquid]
Drink eight fluid ounces of water with this medicine.
Ezzel a gyógyszerrel igyon meg nyolc folyadékuncia vizet.
The bottle contains twelve ounces of orange juice.
Az üveg tizenkét folyadékuncia narancslevet tartalmaz.
This shampoo costs two dollars per fluid ounce.
The recipe calls for six ounces of milk.
Learner examples
Please pour eight ounces of water into the glass.
Kérlek, önts nyolc folyadékuncia vizet a pohárba.
The baby drank four ounces of milk.
A baba négy folyadékuncia tejet ivott.
This bottle has sixteen ounces of soda.
I need two fluid ounces of oil for the salad.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'ounce' as weight with 'fluid ounce' as volume. On food labels, 'fl oz' usually means volume, while 'oz' alone often refers to weight. In everyday speech, context (liquid vs solid) helps show which one is meant.
Meaning
unit of liquid volume
Collocations
eight fluid ounces
|ounces of water
|per fluid ounce
|a 12-ounce bottle
Synonyms
fluid ounce (More precise term; clearly refers to liquid volume, not weight.)
|
milliliter (Metric volume unit; not the same size but often used for similar practical measurements.)
Antonyms
gallon (Represents a much larger volume, contrasting with the very small size of an ounce.)
Themes
measurement
|cooking
|science
|daily_life
Definition
A small unit for measuring how much liquid there is, called a fluid ounce, about 30 milliliters.
A unit for measuring liquid volume, usually called a fluid ounce, equal to one sixteenth of a pint in the imperial and US customary systems (about 30 ml in the US and 28 ml in the UK).
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
4
trójai uncia
C1
uncia
B2
Usage pattern:
[number] troy ounce(s) of [metal]
The price of gold rose to two thousand dollars per ounce.
Az arany ára trójai unciánként kétezer dollárra emelkedett.
Investors bought several troy ounces of silver as a hedge against inflation.
A befektetők több trójai uncia ezüstöt vásároltak infláció elleni fedezetként.
This coin weighs exactly one troy ounce.
Platinum is usually quoted in dollars per ounce on commodity markets.
Learner examples
Gold is often sold by the ounce.
Az aranyat gyakran trójai unciánként adják-veszik.
The coin is one ounce of pure silver.
Az érme egy trójai uncia tiszta ezüstből készült.
They check the price of gold per ounce every day.
He invested in ten ounces of gold.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that the ounce used for precious metals (troy ounce) is slightly heavier than the regular ounce used for body weight or food. In finance news, 'ounce' with gold or silver usually means troy ounce.
Meaning
troy ounce for precious metals
Collocations
troy ounce
|ounces of gold
|ounces of silver
|price per ounce
Synonyms
troy ounce (The full technical term; makes clear that it is a special kind of ounce used for precious metals.)
Antonyms
kilogram (A much larger metric unit often used instead of troy ounces in some contexts, conceptually contrasting fine, small-unit pricing.)
Themes
finance
|science
|measurement
Definition
A special ounce used to weigh gold, silver, and other precious metals, equal to about 31 grams.
A unit of weight used mainly for precious metals and gemstones, called a troy ounce, equal to about 31.1 grams.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
5
Usage pattern:
the ounce
The hunter swore he had seen an ounce high on the rocky ridge.
A vadász megesküdött, hogy látott egy hópárducot fenn a sziklás gerincen.
In the old text, the ounce is described as a ghost of the mountains.
A régi szövegben a hópárducot a hegyek szellemeként írják le.
Medieval bestiaries sometimes pictured the ounce beside lions and leopards.
Learner examples
In this old story, an ounce walks in the snow.
Ebben a régi történetben egy hópárduc jár a hóban.
The word 'ounce' here means a snow leopard.
Az „ounce” szó itt hópárducot jelent.
An ounce is a large wild cat in old books.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this animal meaning is common because they know the weight meaning. In modern English, this sense is rare and mostly appears in older or literary texts; for everyday use, say 'snow leopard'.
Meaning
old word for snow leopard
Collocations
the fierce ounce
|the white ounce
|a hunting ounce
Synonyms
snow leopard (The standard modern name for this animal; 'ounce' now sounds old or literary.)
Antonyms
domestic cat (A tame household cat, contrasting with the wild, mountain‑dwelling ounce.)
Themes
animals
|literature
|nature
Definition
An old word for the snow leopard, a big wild cat that lives in cold, high mountains in Asia.
An old or literary word for a snow leopard, a large wild cat that lives in high mountains in Central and South Asia.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ounce
IPA
GB/ˈaʊns/
US/ˈaʊns/
Syllables & stress
ounce (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ounce)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ounce
- Plural: ounces
Word family
Forms
ounces
noun
Expressions
an ounce of sense
1/ən ˈaʊns əv sˈɛns/
idiom
informal
a tiny bit of good sense
A very small amount of good judgment or common sense.
Examples
- If he had an ounce of sense, he wouldn’t drive in this storm.
- Use an ounce of sense and read the instructions first.
every ounce of
1/ˈɛvɹi ˈaʊns əv/
fixed phrase
all of one’s strength or quality
Used to say that you use all of your strength, energy, or another quality to do something.
Examples
- It took every ounce of strength I had to lift that box.
- She used every ounce of patience she had with the noisy children.
not an ounce of
1/nˈɑt ən ˈaʊns əv/
idiom
not even a tiny amount
Used to say that there is no amount of something at all, not even a very small amount.
Examples
- He showed not an ounce of fear on stage.
- She has not an ounce of sympathy for him after what he did.
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
1/ən ˈaʊns əv pɹivˈɛnʃən ˈɪz wˈɚθ ə pˈaʊnd əv kjˈʊɹ/
idiom
small prevention saves big repair
A little work to stop a problem now is better than a lot of work to fix it later.
Examples
- Get your car checked regularly—an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Vaccination shows that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
2/ən ˈaʊns əv pɹivˈɛnʃən ˈɪz wˈɚθ ə pˈaʊnd əv kjˈʊɹ/
idiom
prevention is better than cure
It is better and easier to stop a problem before it starts than to fix it after it happens.
Examples
- I always back up my files; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Wear sunscreen—remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.