avoirdupois

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
eberntson
Lexiterian
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
Location: Cambridge, Mass
Contact:

avoirdupois

Postby eberntson » Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:08 am

Literally goods of weight. Also, a system of weight based on pounds of 16 ounces, and ounces of 18 drams.

I believe the root is Anglo-Saxon.

Found it Edgar Allan Poe's work.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

Philip Hudson
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 2784
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:41 am
Location: Texas

Re: avoirdupois

Postby Philip Hudson » Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:58 am

As opposed to troy weight.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

eberntson
Lexiterian
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
Location: Cambridge, Mass
Contact:

Re: avoirdupois

Postby eberntson » Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:49 am

Actually, you are correct Phillip, a Troy ounce is 17.554 drams, while a avoirdupois ounce is 16 drams... my mistake. Now it seems a avoirdupois ounce is 7000 grains too. I suppose someone out in the world has made a study and publish the story of weights and measure in a for more interesting then a reference table? Or am I mistaken?
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8013
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: avoirdupois

Postby Slava » Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:19 pm

Don't forget that avoirdupois is also often used to mean excess body weight.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 3333
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:41 pm
Location: RUSTON, LA
Contact:

Re: avoirdupois

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sun Nov 03, 2013 4:23 pm

Can I lose weight if I transfer it into Troy units? I know I seem to weigh all a lot less if I counted in stones.
pl

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8013
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: avoirdupois

Postby Slava » Sun Nov 03, 2013 5:30 pm

Can I lose weight if I transfer it into Troy units? I know I seem to weigh all a lot less if I counted in stones.
Why not just make up your own system? Call it a "Me" scale. For example, I weigh one Me. :lol:
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Philip Hudson
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 2784
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:41 am
Location: Texas

Re: avoirdupois

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Nov 04, 2013 4:44 am

Slava: There is the ideal "me". It is not the one I see in the mirror or who steps on the bathroom scales. To weigh the ideal "me" would take a lot of work. Do you advocate sticking to the nitty-gritty, actual "me"? That would be quite a relief.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8013
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: avoirdupois

Postby Slava » Mon Nov 04, 2013 7:53 am

Aye, a "Me" should always be real. No matter how much or little there is, you will always weigh 1. :)
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

User avatar
gailr
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1945
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:40 am
Contact:

Re: avoirdupois

Postby gailr » Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:10 pm

Aye, a "Me" should always be real.
There are me's and me's. (Sorry about that apostrophe -- I'm trying to keep the 'me' intact.)
The Sumerian goddess Innana tricked Enki out of all the arts of Civilization, the ME. This poem is dated to 2000BC, and has a delightful cadence when read aloud:
"O name of my power, O name of my power,
To the bright Inanna, my daughter, I shall present . . .
The arts of woodworking, metalworking, writing, toolmaking, leatherworking, building, basketweaving."

Pure Inanna took them.

These ME have a greater weight than any agoran!


Return to “Good Word Suggestions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests