long hundredweight: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2technical, historical, industrial
Quick answer
What does “long hundredweight” mean?
A historical unit of mass equal to 112 pounds (approximately 50.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical unit of mass equal to 112 pounds (approximately 50.8 kilograms).
In modern usage, a largely obsolete term for the British or Imperial hundredweight, used to distinguish it from the shorter 'cental' or 'short hundredweight' of 100 pounds used in some contexts, primarily in North America.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'hundredweight' historically and traditionally meant the 'long hundredweight' (112 lbs). In the US, 'hundredweight' most commonly refers to the 'short hundredweight' (100 lbs), though the term 'long hundredweight' is understood in specific technical or historical contexts.
Connotations
In the UK: traditional measurement, older systems, certain trades (e.g., agriculture, shipping of old). In the US: primarily a historical or technical term, associated with British systems or international commodity trading.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday language. More likely encountered in historical texts, technical manuals, or specific commodity markets (e.g., grain, steel) where legacy units are referenced.
Grammar
How to Use “long hundredweight” in a Sentence
[Commodity] was priced at [amount] per long hundredweight.The old recipe called for a long hundredweight of [material].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “long hundredweight” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The yield was long-hundredweighted for the official report. (rare, constructed)
adjective
British English
- The long-hundredweight measure was still in use on the farm. (attributive use)
American English
- The long-hundredweight system was referenced in the old treaty.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in historical commodity contracts or when comparing legacy British and American trade data.
Academic
Found in historical, economic, or metrological texts discussing pre-metric measurement systems.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in engineering, agriculture, or shipping contexts dealing with older British equipment specifications or yield data.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “long hundredweight”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “long hundredweight”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “long hundredweight”
- Confusing it with the metric quintal (100 kg).
- Assuming 'hundredweight' always means 100 pounds.
- Using it in contemporary non-technical writing without explanation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In the UK, 'hundredweight' traditionally meant the 'long' version (112 lbs). In the US and Canada, 'hundredweight' usually means the 'short' version (100 lbs). The term 'long hundredweight' is used for clarity.
It originates from a medieval system where a 'hundred' could mean 100 or 120 items. The British hundredweight evolved from a system based on stones (14 lbs each), resulting in 8 stones = 112 lbs.
It is largely obsolete for official trade, having been replaced by the metric system. However, it may appear in historical documents, certain niche agricultural contexts, or when interpreting older data.
The common abbreviation for hundredweight is 'cwt' (from the Latin 'centum' for hundred and 'weight'). In contexts where ambiguity exists, 'long cwt' or 'imp cwt' (for Imperial) might be used to specify the 112-pound measure.
A historical unit of mass equal to 112 pounds (approximately 50.
Long hundredweight is usually technical, historical, industrial in register.
Long hundredweight: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlɒŋ ˈhʌndrədweɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɔːŋ ˈhʌndrədweɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not by the long hundredweight (rare, idiomatic for 'not by a long shot').”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'LONG' for LONDON: the traditional British hundredweight is LONGER (112 lbs) than the American SHORT one (100 lbs).
Conceptual Metaphor
MEASUREMENT IS A CONTAINER (a standardized vessel for quantifying mass).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'long hundredweight'?