Pound sign (was Re: the Telephone Test)

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In article <4080002 at hpopd.HP.COM> apm at hpopd.HP.COM (Andrew Merritt) writes:
>  I thought the octothorp meant 'number' in US usage.
>
>Andrew

I believe the word 'octothorp' never gained currency.  I could not find it
in any of the four dictionaries that I looked in. (anyone have an OED handy?)

I hope this lays the topic to rest. Quoting form Webster's Ninth New
Collegiate Dictionary:

    #   number if it procedes a numeral <track #3>; pounds if it follows
	<a 5# sack of sugar>

So the way to pronounce #define, is "pound define" (at least in
American Engilish :-)

    Marv Rubinstein