Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of weight in the US customary system: A "short ton" is a unit of mass equal to 2,000 pounds (approximately 907.18474 kilograms). It is primarily used in the United States.

Usage

• The "short ton" is used to measure heavy weights, especially in industries like shipping, freight, and commodities within the United States.
• It is often contrasted with the "long ton" (2,240 pounds) used in the UK and the metric "tonne" (1,000 kilograms).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The shipment weighed 50 short tons.
  • Coal is often priced per short ton in the US market.

Advanced Usage

• "Net short ton": Often used in commerce to specify weight excluding the weight of containers or packaging.
  • The contract was for 10,000 net short tons of steel.

Variants and Related Words

• Ton: Often used informally in the US to mean "short ton," though it can cause ambiguity internationally.
• Long ton: A British unit of weight equal to 2,240 pounds.
• Tonne (metric ton): A metric unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms.

Synonyms

• US ton: Another name for a short ton, clarifying its regional use.
• Net ton: Sometimes used interchangeably, especially in contexts like "net short ton."

Notes on Meaning

• The "short ton" is a specific measurement. In everyday American English, the word "ton" alone usually refers to the short ton. However, in scientific, international, or UK contexts, "ton" could refer to the metric tonne or the long ton, making "short ton" the precise term.

Noun

1. a United States unit of weight equivalent to 2000 pounds