sou:IMPERIAL

A system of units formerly widely used in the UK and the rest of the English-speaking world. It includes the pound (lb), quarter (qt), hundredweight (cwt), and ton (ton); the foot (ft), yard (yd), and mile (mi); and the gallon (gal), British thermal unit (btu), etc. These units have been largely replaced by metric units, although Imperial units persist in some contexts. In January 2000 an EU regulation outlawing the sale of goods in Imperial measures was adopted into British law; an exception was made for the sale of beer and milk in pints.