Stone

Options
Mark330
Mark330 Posts: 75
in Health and Weight Loss
What do people mean when they are up or down by a certain number of stones?

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Options
    A stone is 14 lbs (bit of a UK thing)
  • Mark330
    Mark330 Posts: 75
    Options
    Good to know. Why is it called that?
  • jennywrens
    jennywrens Posts: 208
    Options
    cause we like to be awkward ;o)

    also, the plural widely used is actually stone, not stones ...... so 140lbs is 10 stone, not 10 stones :o) - bit of useless info for you!
  • cng1117
    cng1117 Posts: 225 Member
    Options
    Maybe because way back when a person would stand on one side of a balance and they would take stones weighing approximately the same weight and put them on the other end and see how many would pile up before it was level. So if it took 10 stones then the saying was "You're 10 stones". Then as time went by and scales and got a little less archaic the phrase just stuck. lol I honestly don't know, it's just a guess since measurements used to be taken that way cept with hands and feet. Anywho....
  • Lauriek70
    Lauriek70 Posts: 2,087 Member
    Options
    I am so glad you asked that question because I was wondering the same thing. Now I know....:bigsmile:

Categories