Advertisement
Advertisement
length
[ lengkth, length, lenth ]
noun
- the longest extent of anything as measured from end to end:
the length of a river.
Synonyms: , , , ,
- the measure of the greatest dimension of a plane or solid figure.
- extent from beginning to end of a series, enumeration, account, book, etc.:
a report running 300 pages in length.
- extent in time; duration:
the length of a battle.
- a distance determined by the extent of something specified:
Hold the picture at arm's length.
- a piece or portion of a certain or a known extent:
a length of rope.
- the quality or state of being long rather than short:
a journey remarkable for its length.
- the extent to which a person might or would go in pursuing something:
He went to great lengths to get what he wanted.
- a large extent or expanse of something.
- the measure from end to end of a horse, boat, etc., as a unit of distance in racing:
The horse won by two lengths.
- Clothing. the extent of a garment related to a point it reaches, as on the wearer's body, the floor, or on a garment used as a standard of measurement (usually used in combination):
an ankle-length gown; a floor-length negligee; a three-quarter-length coat.
- Prosody, Phonetics.
- the quality of vowels.
- Bridge. the possession of four or more than four cards in a given suit.
- Theater Archaic. 42 lines of an acting part.
length
/ lɛŋθ; lɛŋkθ /
noun
- the linear extent or measurement of something from end to end, usually being the longest dimension or, for something fixed, the longest horizontal dimension
- the extent of something from beginning to end, measured in some more or less regular units or intervals
the book was 600 pages in length
- a specified distance, esp between two positions or locations
the length of a race
- a period of time, as between specified limits or moments
- something of a specified, average, or known size or extent measured in one dimension, often used as a unit of measurement
a length of cloth
- a piece or section of something narrow and long
a length of tubing
- the quality, state, or fact of being long rather than short
- usually plural the amount of trouble taken in pursuing or achieving something (esp in the phrase to great lengths )
- often plural the extreme or limit of action (in phrases such as to any length ( s ), to what length ( s ) would someone go, etc)
- prosody phonetics the metrical quantity or temporal duration of a vowel or syllable
- the distance from one end of a rectangular swimming bath to the other Compare width
- prosody the quality of a vowel, whether stressed or unstressed, that distinguishes it from another vowel of similar articulatory characteristics. Thus ( ː ) in English beat is of greater length than ( ɪ ) in English bit
- cricket the distance from the batsman at which the ball pitches
- bridge a holding of four or more cards in a suit
- informal.the general idea; the main purpose
- at length
- in depth; fully
- eventually
- for a long time; interminably
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of length1
Idioms and Phrases
- at length,
- in or to the full extent; completely.
- after a time; finally:
At length there was a step forward in the negotiations.
- go to any length / lengths, to disregard any impediment that could prevent one from accomplishing one's purpose:
He would go to any lengths to get his own way.
- keep at arm's length. arm 1( def 17 ).
More idioms and phrases containing length
see at arm's length ; at length ; go to any length .Example Sentences
The “Common Side Effects” writers go to admirable lengths to explain why a cure-all mushroom could be hazardous; violence would soar, the medicine could fall into the wrong hands, evildoers would never die.
In a Tuesday proposal, O’Leary said there should be a minimum theatrical window of 45 days, referring to the length of time between a movie’s theatrical release and its availability for home viewing.
He took over on the second circuit and went clear before being pushed out by De Boinville to win by three and a quarter lengths from Protektorat.
If we get into the details of the grass length, that can have an impact as well.
Their essay “The Left Needs Media That Competes — and Wins” merits being quoted at length.
Advertisement
Related 51Թs
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse