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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819 |
Reading a recent issue of the British auto magazine "Evo," I came across two uses of "ton" that I understood from context to mean 100, or more specifically 100 miles per hour. I don't have the magazine handy, but it said something like "...the car took 5.2 seconds to reach 60 mph and 10.5 seconds to reach the ton." Another article used the word in a similar manner. What is the source or etymology of this use of "ton"? Is it merely idiomatic?
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
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The Ton, as in 100mph, was almost certainly a straight "steal" from its meaning as £100. It isn't applied to 100kph, however!
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
From Quinion, italics mine: to do a ton is to achieve a speed of 100 miles per hour and in darts or cricket a ton is a score of 100. This is familiar enough not to seem an odd usage HA--sez who? It sure sounds strange to me. Oh, now I see--the heading says he writes from a British viewpoint. Ok, since he put the disclaimer, I reckon I'll have to go 'long... 
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
I can't comment on darts, but I would find it strange to hear a cricket score of 100 runs referred to as "the ton", althought I would certainly understand it.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
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In reply to:
I would find it strange to hear a cricket score of 100 runs referred to as "the ton", althought I would certainly understand it.
Really? I hear it a lot, along with a half-ton. Semi-literate Kiwi commentators, I guess.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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I dunno. Just sounds like it's off by an order of magnitude.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
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No, there are a number of ways in which the batsman could wind up off the field, but it's usually by order of the umpire, not magnitude. Just thought I'd mention that.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Thanks, Pfranz. You just don't know how much I appreciate that bit of cricketiana.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
Glad I could bowl you over ...
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