Definition

Noun: - A system of weights and measures: The English system is a traditional, non-decimal system of measurement. Its core units are the foot for length, the pound for mass, the second for time, and the pint for volume (or capacity). It is also commonly known as the Imperial System, especially in its modern British form, or the US Customary System in the United States.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The recipe was written using the English system, so I needed to convert grams to ounces.
  • Before the widespread adoption of the metric system, most British trade used the English system.
  • Scientists typically use the metric system, but some older engineering documents in the US still reference the English system.

Advanced Usage

• "To work in the English system": To perform calculations or measurements using these traditional units.
  • The carpenter, trained decades ago, still prefers to work in the English system.

Variants and Related Words

• Imperial System (n): The formalized version of the English system used historically in the British Empire and still used in some contexts in the UK. It is very similar to, but not always identical with, the US Customary System.
• US Customary System (n): The system of measurement commonly used in the United States, derived from the English system. Key units include the inch, foot, yard, mile, ounce, pound, ton, fluid ounce, pint, quart, and gallon.
• Foot-pound-second system (FPS system) (n): A technical name highlighting the fundamental units of length, mass, and time in this system.

Synonyms

• Imperial units: Often used interchangeably, especially outside the United States.
• Customary units: Commonly used in the United States (e.g., US customary units).

Related Phrases

• "A pint of beer": A common serving size in pubs in countries using the English/Imperial system.
  • He ordered a pint of beer at the London pub.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "English system" specifically refers to the historical and structural basis of the measurement system. In modern usage, the more precise terms are Imperial System (for the UK and Commonwealth) and US Customary System (for the United States). These two systems share most unit names (e.g., inch, pound, gallon) but have some key differences in their definitions (e.g., the volume of a pint and gallon differs between the Imperial and US versions).

Noun

1. a system of weights and measures based on the foot and pound and second and pint