ounce

ounce — noun

1. a standard measure for weight, equal to a little over 28 grams.

1.nounC1
Definition

a standard measure for weight, equal to a little over 28 grams.

Example

The recipe needs two ounces of butter for the cake filling.

number + ounces of + food

At the post office, the parcel was three ounces over the limit.

number + ounces over the limit

Common collocations
  • two ounces of butter
  • one ounce of milk
  • weigh four ounces
  • three ounces over the limit
  • less than an ounce
Synonyms
  • gram

    a metric unit; smaller than an ounce and standard in most countries

  • pound

    a larger imperial unit; sixteen ounces make one pound

  • oz.

    the usual written abbreviation for 'ounce' on labels and recipes

Grammar Patterns

an ounce of + noun

number + ounces of + noun

Usage Note

Usually appears after a number and before 'of' plus the thing being weighed, especially with food, parcels, or body weight. Distinguish from sense 2, which is figurative and often appears in phrases like 'not an ounce of patience'.

Common Mistakes

The baby weighed three ounce.
The baby weighed three ounces.
use the plural after numbers greater than one.
Please buy two ounces butter.
Please buy two ounces of butter.
this pattern normally needs 'of' before the noun.

2. a tiny quantity of something, often used to stress that there is very little or

2.nounC2
Definition

a tiny quantity of something, often used to stress that there is very little or none.

Example

Rex showed not an ounce of fear before the diving lesson.

not an ounce of + abstract noun

After the lies, Nora had not an ounce of trust in Jake.

not an ounce of + abstract noun

Common collocations
  • not an ounce of fear
  • not an ounce of proof
  • without an ounce of shame
  • an ounce of doubt
  • an ounce of hope
Synonyms
  • bit

    an informal everyday word for a small amount

  • trace

    a very tiny amount, often used in more careful or formal writing

  • hint

    a small sign of a quality or feeling rather than a measurable amount

  • drop

    a small amount, especially of liquid

Grammar Patterns

an ounce of + noun

not an ounce of + noun

without an ounce of + noun

Usage Note

Most common in fixed patterns such as 'not an ounce of' and 'without an ounce of', often before nouns like fear, kindness, proof, or shame. Distinguish from sense 1, which names a real unit of weight.

Common Mistakes

Rex showed not ounce of fear.
Rex showed not an ounce of fear.
this fixed pattern needs the article 'an'.
Lena had an ounce patience.
Lena had an ounce of patience.
this sense almost always uses 'of' before the noun.
Idioms

an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

idiom

It is better to prevent a problem than to fix it after it happens.

Maya fixed the leaky pipe immediately, remembering that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Do you agree that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure when it comes to health?

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all measure weight, but they are not interchangeable. 'Ounce' is used mainly in the US and in some everyday British contexts, especially for food, parcels, and a baby's weight. A 'gram' is a metric unit and is much smaller; one ounce is a little over 28 grams. A 'pound' is also from the imperial system, but it is much larger: sixteen ounces make one pound. A 'kilogram' belongs to the metric system and is larger still, equal to 1,000 grams. In real use, the right choice depends on the country and the setting. An American recipe may ask for '8 ounces of cheese', while a Taiwanese package is more likely to say '225 grams of cheese'.

ounce ↗gram ↗pound ↗kilogram ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • an ounce of

Prepositions

  • ounce of

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word comes from Latin 'uncia', which meant a twelfth part, especially one twelfth of a Roman pound. It reached English through Old French 'unce'. The modern weight sense grew from that older idea of a small fraction of a larger unit.