POUND

, a certain weight; which is of two kinds, viz., the<*>pound troy, and the pound avoirdupois; the former consisting of 12 ounces troy, and the latter of 16 ounces avoirdupois.—The pound troy is to the pound avoirdupois as 5760 to 6999 1/2, or nearly 576 to 700

Pound also is an imaginary money used in account- ing, in several countries. Thus, in England there i<*> the Pound sterling, containing 20 shillings; in France the Pound or livre Tournois and Parisis; in Holland and Flanders, a Pound or livre de gros, &c.—The term arose from hence, that the ancient pound sterling, though it only contained 240 pence, as ours does; yet each penny being equal to five of ours, the pound of silver weighed a Pound troy.