ounce
This term primarily functions as a precise measurement of mass or volume, carrying a clinical or culinary connotation. When used in a technical sense, it refers to a specific fraction of a pound or pint, making it a staple of American imperial measurements. In a figurative sense, the word shifts to describe an infinitesimal amount of an abstract quality, such as courage or patience. This usage typically appears in negative constructions, such as "not an ounce of," to emphasize a total absence of a trait.
Meanings
A unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound, used primarily in the United States.
"The recipe calls for one ounce of cinnamon."
A unit of liquid capacity equal to one sixteenth of a US pint or one twenty eighth of an Imperial pint.
"He ordered a six ounce glass of orange juice."