half-pound

A baker weighs a half-pound of cheese on a scale.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of weight: "half-pound" refers to a measure of weight equal to 8 ounces (approximately 227 grams) in the avoirdupois system, commonly used for food items like meat, cheese, or butter.
   • A portion or quantity: It can also denote a specific amount of something weighing half a pound, such as a half-pound of coffee or a half-pound of ground beef.

Usage Examples

• (A portion weighing 8 ounces.)
• (A specific weight of butter.)
• (A hamburger patty weighing half a pound.)

Advanced Usage

• "half-pound" as an adjective: When used before a noun, it modifies the noun to indicate that it weighs half a pound.
  • The half-pound steak was perfectly cooked. (The steak weighed half a pound.)
• "half-pound" in informal contexts: Often used in casual speech to refer to a small but significant amount.
  • He gave me a half-pound of his homemade fudge. (A portion weighing half a pound.)

Variants and Related Words

• Half-pounder (noun): a person or thing that weighs half a pound, often used informally for a burger or fish.
  • The restaurant is famous for its half-pounder burgers. (Burgers with a half-pound patty.)
• Half-pound bag (noun): a bag containing half a pound of a product.
  • She grabbed a half-pound bag of almonds. (A bag with 8 ounces of almonds.)

Synonyms

• 8 ounces: the equivalent weight in standard U.S. customary units.
• Quarter-kilogram (approximate): a metric equivalent close to 250 grams (though half-pound is 227 grams, this is a rough synonym in cooking contexts).

Related Idioms

• "Pound for pound": an idiom meaning "considering the relative weight or size," often used in comparisons, but not directly using "half-pound."
  • Pound for pound, the half-pound steak is the best value on the menu. (Comparing worth relative to weight.)

Note: No phrasal verbs or compound words beyond those listed are relevant for this single-word explanation.