Units of weight measurement equal to 2,000 pounds; informally, a large quantity of something.
From Middle English tunne, from Old French tonne meaning 'large cask'. Originally referred to the volume a large wine cask could hold, later standardized as a weight measure based on water displacement.
It's remarkable how a medieval wine barrel gave us both a precise scientific measurement and one of our most common expressions for 'a lot' - saying you have 'tons of homework' connects you to centuries of merchants measuring cargo. The word bridges the gap between exact science and everyday exaggeration.
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