apothecaries' weight

apothecaries' weight
a system of weights used chiefly in compounding and dispensing drugs: 20 grains = 1 scruple; 3 scruples = 1 dram; 8 drams = 1 ounce; 12 ounces = 1 pound. The grain, ounce, and pound are the same as in troy weight, the grain alone being the same as in avoirdupois weight.
[1755-65]

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      traditional system of weight in the British Isles used for the measuring and dispensing of pharmaceutical items and based on the grain, scruple (20 grains), dram (3 scruples), ounce (8 drams), and pound (12 ounces). The apothecaries' grain is equal to the troy (troy weight) and avoirdupois (avoirdupois weight) grains and represents 1/5,760 part of the troy and apothecaries' pound and 1/7,000 part of the avoirdupois pound. One apothecaries' pound equals approximately 0.82 avoirdupois pound, 373.24 grams, and 0.37 kilogram.

      Apothecaries' weight was used officially in both the United States and Great Britain until 1858. In that year, under the authority of the Medical Act, Great Britain adopted the avoirdupois system for dispensing medicines. Apothecaries' weight is still common in the United States. In recent years, however, the metric system has gradually replaced it for dispensing medicines.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • apothecaries'weight — n. A system of weights used in pharmacy and based on an ounce equal to 480 grains and a pound equal to 12 ounces. It has been largely replaced by measures of the metric system. * * * …   Universalium

  • apothecaries' weight — n a system of weights used chiefly by pharmacists in compounding medical prescriptions that include the pound of 12 ounces, the dram of 60 grains, and the scruple * * * a system of weights used in compounding prescriptions, based on the grain (64 …   Medical dictionary

  • apothecaries' weight — n. a system of weights no longer used in modern pharmacy: see the table of weights and measures in the Reference Supplement …   English World dictionary

  • apothecaries' weight — noun any weight unit used in pharmacy; an ounce is equal to 480 grains and a pound is equal to 12 ounces • Syn: ↑apothecaries unit • Hypernyms: ↑weight unit, ↑weight • Hyponyms: ↑grain, ↑scruple, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Apothecaries' weight — Apothecary A*poth e*ca*ry, n.; pl. {Apothecaries}. [OE. apotecarie, fr. LL. apothecarius, fr. L. apotheca storehouse, Gr. apo, fr. ? to put away; ? from + ? to put: cf. F. apothicaire, OF. apotecaire. See {Thesis}.] One who prepares and sells… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • apothecaries' weight — noun Date: 1765 a system of weights used chiefly by pharmacists called also apothecary weight see weight table …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • apothecaries' weight — apoth′ecaries weight n. wam a system of weights used chiefly in compounding and dispensing drugs …   From formal English to slang

  • apothecaries' weight — /əˈpɒθəkriz weɪt/ (say uh pothuhkreez wayt) noun a system of weights formerly used in compounding and dispensing drugs …  

  • Weight — Weight, n. [OE. weght, wight, AS. gewiht; akin to D. gewigt, G. gewicht, Icel. v[ae]tt, Sw. vigt, Dan. v[ae]gt. See {Weigh}, v. t.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality of being heavy; that property of bodies by which they tend toward the center of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Weight of observation — Weight Weight, n. [OE. weght, wight, AS. gewiht; akin to D. gewigt, G. gewicht, Icel. v[ae]tt, Sw. vigt, Dan. v[ae]gt. See {Weigh}, v. t.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality of being heavy; that property of bodies by which they tend toward the center… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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