3 N‑COUNT [num N ] A pound is a unit of weight used mainly in Britain, America, and other countries where English is spoken. One pound is equal to 0.454 kilograms. A pound of something is a quantity of it that weighs one pound. □ Her weight was under ninety pounds. □ [+ of ] …a pound of cheese.
4 N‑COUNT A pound is a place where dogs and cats found wandering in the street are taken and kept until they are claimed by their owners.
5 N‑COUNT A pound is a place where cars that have been parked illegally are taken by the police and kept until they have been claimed by their owners.
6 VERB If you pound something or pound on it, you hit it with great force, usually loudly and repeatedly. □ [V n] He pounded the table with his fist. □ [V prep/adv] Somebody began pounding on the front door. □ [V n prep] She came at him, pounding her fists against his chest. □ [V -ing] …the pounding waves.
7 VERB If you pound something, you crush it into a paste or a powder or into very small pieces. □ [V n] She paused as she pounded the maize grains.
8 VERB If your heart is pounding , it is beating with an unusually strong and fast rhythm, usually because you are afraid. □ [V ] I'm sweating, my heart is pounding. I can't breathe. ● pound|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the fast pounding of her heart.
9 → see also pounding
-pounder /-paʊ ndə r / (-pounders )
1 COMB -pounder can be added to numbers to form nouns that refer to animals or fish that weigh a particular number of pounds. □ My fish average 2 lb 8 oz and I've had two eight-pounders.
2 COMB -pounder can be added to numbers to form nouns that refer to guns that fire shells weighing a particular number of pounds. □ The guns were twelve-pounders.
pound|ing /paʊ nd I ŋ/ (poundings )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If someone or something takes a pounding , they are severely injured or damaged. [INFORMAL ] □ Sarajevo took one of its worst poundings in weeks.
2 → see also pound
pour ◆◇◇ /pɔː r / (pours , pouring , poured )
1 VERB If you pour a liquid or other substance, you make it flow steadily out of a container by holding the container at an angle. □ [V n prep] Pour a pool of sauce on two plates and arrange the meat neatly. □ [V n with adv] Heat the oil in a non-stick frying-pan, then pour in the egg mixture.
2 VERB If you pour someone a drink, you put some of the drink in a cup or glass so that they can drink it. □ [V n n] He got up and poured himself another drink. □ [V n + for ] Quietly Mark poured and served drinks for all of them. [Also V n]
3 VERB When a liquid or other substance pours somewhere, for example through a hole, it flows quickly and in large quantities. □ [V prep/adv] Blood was pouring from his broken nose. □ [V prep/adv] Tears poured down both our faces. □ [V prep/adv] The tide poured in from the south.
4 VERB [usu cont] When it rains very heavily, you can say that it is pouring . □ [V ] It has been pouring with rain all week. □ [V down ] The rain was pouring down. □ [V -ing] We drove all the way through pouring rain.
5 VERB If people pour into or out of a place, they go there quickly and in large numbers. □ [V prep/adv] Any day now, the Northern forces may pour across the new border. □ [V prep/adv] Holidaymakers continued to pour down to the coast in search of surf and sun.
6 VERB If something such as information pours into a place, a lot of it is obtained or given. □ [V adv/prep] Martin, 78, died yesterday. Tributes poured in from around the globe.
7 PHRASE If someone pours cold water on a plan or idea, they criticize it so much that people lose their enthusiasm for it. □ The education secretary poured cold water on the recommendations of a working party.
8 to pour scorn on something → see scorn
▸ pour into PHRASAL VERB If you pour money or supplies into an activity or organization, or if it pours in , a lot of money or supplies are given in order to do the activity or help the organization. □ [V n P n] The Prime Minister poured billions into financial services. □ [V P ] Food donations have poured in from all over the country.
▸ pour out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you pour out a drink, you put some of it in a cup or glass. □ [V P n] Larry was pouring out some drinks. □ [V n P ] Carefully and slowly he poured the tea out.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you pour out your thoughts, feelings, or experiences, you tell someone all about them. □ [V n P ] I poured my thoughts out on paper in an attempt to rationalize my feelings.
pout /paʊ t/ (pouts , pouting , pouted ) VERB If someone pouts , they stick out their lips, usually in order to show that they are annoyed or to make themselves sexually attractive. □ [V ] He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. □ [V -ing] …gorgeous pouting models. ● N‑COUNT Pout is also a noun. □ She shot me a reproachful pout.
pov|er|ty ◆◇◇ /pɒ və r ti/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Poverty is the state of being extremely poor. □ …people living in absolute poverty.
2 N‑SING You can use poverty to refer to any situation in which there is not enough of something or its quality is poor. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Britain has suffered from a poverty of ambition.