ton
gb/tˈʌn/ us/tˈʌn/
B1
Inglês
~ 7100
Aceções
0 aceções
Nome
informal
B1
quantity
1
a very large amount
A very big amount or number of something, used like “a lot,” not as a real weight.
Padrão de uso:
a ton of [something]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes forget the word "of" and say *"a ton homework"* instead of "a ton of homework." They may also think it must be literal weight. In many cases it is only an exaggeration meaning "a lot" and not a real measurement.
Sinónimos
a lot (More neutral and common in both speech and writing; less emphatic than “a ton.”)
Antónimos
a little (Refers to a small amount, the opposite of the large, emphasized quantity in “a ton.”)
Colocações
a ton of work
|a ton of money
|a ton of questions
|have a ton of [something]
|tons of people
|thanks a ton
Temas
daily life
|quantity
|emphasis
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- I have a ton of emails to answer before I can leave.
- They spent a ton of money on the wedding.
- There were tons of people waiting outside the stadium.
- She has a ton of experience in marketing.
- We got a ton of homework over the weekend.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- I have a ton of homework tonight.
- He eats a ton of candy every day.
- We got tons of messages after the party.
- She has a ton of clothes in her closet.
- There are tons of problems with this plan.
Nome
B1
quantity
2
unit of weight or mass
A unit for measuring very heavy things, usually 2,000 pounds in the US or 1,000 kilograms in many other countries.
Padrão de uso:
[number] tons of [material]
Erro comum:
Learners often assume "ton" always means 1,000 kilograms. In American English it usually means 2,000 pounds, while in many metric contexts it refers to 1,000 kilograms (often written "tonne"). Context or a modifier like "metric ton" is needed to be precise.
Sinónimos
tonne (Standard spelling for the metric unit of 1,000 kg; “ton” is more general and can also mean 2,000 pounds in US usage.)
Antónimos
gram (A much smaller unit of mass, conceptually opposite in size though not a true logical antonym.)
Colocações
metric ton
|short ton
|long ton
|tons of coal
|tons of steel
|gross tons
Temas
science
|business
|transport
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The truck was carrying 20 tons of sand.
- Global steel production reached hundreds of millions of tons last year.
- This crane can lift up to five metric tons.
- The ship transported 50,000 tons of grain across the Atlantic.
- The landfill receives several tons of waste every day.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The ship carries 10,000 tons of oil.
- This machine can move two tons of rock.
- The factory makes many tons of paper each month.
- They shipped one metric ton of rice to the city.
- The bridge can hold many tons of weight.
Nome
informal
B2
quantity
3
one hundred in scores or money
In some informal British English and sports talk, the word for the number 100, usually in points or pounds.
Padrão de uso:
score a ton; make a ton
Erro comum:
Learners may confuse this meaning with the weight unit or the general "a lot" meaning. This sense is limited to certain dialects (especially British English) and contexts like sports, betting, and money, so it should not be used in general writing.
Sinónimos
hundred (Standard word for the number; "ton" is slangy and limited to certain varieties of English and contexts.)
Antónimos
zero (Represents no points or money, the opposite end of the scoring or amount scale from one hundred.)
Colocações
score a ton
|hit a ton
|make a ton
|a ton bonus
|win a ton on [something]
Temas
sports
|money
|informal
|finance
Exemplos
- He scored a ton in the second half to win the game.
- If you hit a ton in this round, you’ll break the club record.
- I put a ton on that horse, so it had better win.
- She walked away with a ton after just one night at the casino.
- He’s already made a ton in overtime pay this month.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- He scored a ton in the game, which means 100 points.
- In British English, a ton can mean £100.
- She won a ton on that bet last night.
- The player hit a ton and the crowd cheered.
- He lost a ton at the casino yesterday.
Nome
technical
C1
quantity
4
unit of ship size/capacity
A special unit in shipping used to say how big a ship is or how much it can carry.
Padrão de uso:
[number] gross tons; [number] deadweight tons
Sinónimos
register ton (A more specific technical term for some types of ship tonnage; closely related but not always interchangeable.)
Colocações
gross register tons
|net tons
|deadweight tons
|gross tonnage
|cargo tons
|displacement tons
Temas
transport
|business
|science
|transportation
Exemplos
- The vessel has a gross tonnage of 75,000 tons.
- Their new tanker is rated at 150,000 deadweight tons.
- Ships over 500 gross tons must follow these international safety regulations.
- Port fees are calculated based on the ship’s registered tons.
- The company ordered a series of 30,000-ton container ships.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The ship is 50,000 tons in size.
- Big ports often work with ships of many tens of thousands of tons.
- They measure the ship in gross tons for port charges.
- This oil tanker is 200,000 deadweight tons.
- The cruise ship is over 100,000 tons.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
ton
IPA
GB/tˈʌn/
US/tˈʌn/
Sílabas e acento
ton (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (ton)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: ton
- Plural: ton, tons
Família de palavras
Expressões
a ton of
1/ə tˈʌn əv/
fixed phrase
informal
a very large amount of
Used before a noun to mean "a lot of" or "very many/much," not a real weight.
Exemplos
- I’ve got a ton of work to finish before Friday.
- They brought a ton of snacks for the road trip.
- She gets a ton of messages on social media every day.
cost a ton
4/kˈɔst ə tˈʌn/
idiom
informal
be extremely expensive
To cost a lot of money; to be very expensive.
Exemplos
- That designer bag must have cost a ton.
- Fixing the car is going to cost a ton if we go to the dealer.
- The concert tickets cost a ton, but it was worth it.
like a ton of bricks
6/lˈaɪk ə tˈʌn əv bɹˈɪks/
idiom
informal
with great force or severity
Very strongly or very severely, especially when talking about punishment, criticism, or a sudden feeling.
Exemplos
- If you lie to her, she’ll come down on you like a ton of bricks.
- The news hit him like a ton of bricks.
- When the mistake was discovered, the boss came down on the team like a ton of bricks.
thanks a ton
3/θˈæŋks ə tˈʌn/
fixed phrase
informal
thank you very much
An informal way to say "thank you very much." Sometimes it can sound sarcastic, depending on the voice tone.
Exemplos
- You fixed my computer? Thanks a ton!
- Thanks a ton for helping me move this weekend.
- Oh, you broke it again—thanks a ton, really. (said sarcastically)
tons of
2/tˈʌnz əv/
fixed phrase
informal
very large amounts of
A very informal way to say "a lot of" or "many," often stronger than just "a lot of."
Exemplos
- There are tons of people in the park today.
- She has tons of experience in this field.
- We still have tons of time, so don’t worry.
weigh a ton
5/wˈeɪ ə tˈʌn/
idiom
informal
be extremely heavy
To be very, very heavy (not usually a real measurement).
Exemplos
- This sofa weighs a ton; I can’t move it by myself.
- My backpack feels like it weighs a ton after a full day of classes.
- Be careful with that box—it weighs a ton.