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length

 - 5 dictionary results

length

  [lengkth, length, lenth]
Use length in a Sentence
–noun
1. the longest extent of anything as measured from end to end: the length of a river.
2. the measure of the greatest dimension of a plane or solid figure.
3. extent from beginning to end of a series, enumeration, account, book, etc.: a report running 300 pages in length.
4. extent in time; duration: the length of a battle.
5. a distance determined by the extent of something specified: Hold the picture at arm's length.
6. a piece or portion of a certain or a known extent: a length of rope.
7. the quality or state of being long rather than short: a journey remarkable for its length.
8. the extent to which a person might or would go in pursuing something: He went to great lengths to get what he wanted.
9. a large extent or expanse of something.
10. the measure from end to end of a horse, boat, etc., as a unit of distance in racing: The horse won by two lengths.
11. 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.
12. Prosody, Phonetics.
a. (of a vowel or syllable) quantity, whether long or short.
b. the quality of vowels.
13. Bridge. the possession of four or more than four cards in a given suit.
14. Theater Archaic. 42 lines of an acting part.
—Idioms
15. at length,
a. in or to the full extent; completely.
b. after a time; finally: At length there was a step forward in the negotiations.
16. go to any length or 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.
17. keep at arm's length. arm 1 (def. 16).
Origin:
bef. 900; ME length(e), OE lengthu; c. D lengte, ON lengd. See long 1 , -th 1

Synonyms:
1. span, stretch, reach, scope, measure.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To length
length   (lěngkth, lěngth, lěnth)   
n.  

  1. The state, quality, or fact of being long. See Usage Note at strength.

  2. The measurement of the extent of something along its greatest dimension: the length of the boat.

  3. A piece, often of a standard size, that is normally measured along its greatest dimension: a length of cloth.

  4. A measure used as a unit to estimate distances: won the race by a length.

  5. Extent or distance from beginning to end: the length of a novel; the length of a journey.

  6. The amount of time between specified moments; the duration: the length of a meeting.

  7. Extent or degree to which an action or policy is carried. Often used in the plural: went to great lengths to prove his point.

  8. Linguistics

    1. The duration of a vowel.

    2. The duration of a syllable.

  9. The vertical extent of a garment. Often used in combination: knee-length; floor-length.


[Middle English, from Old English lengthu; see del-1 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

length 
O.E. lengðu "length," from P.Gmc. *langitho, noun of quality from *langgaz (root of O.E. lang "long") + -itho, abstract noun suffix. Cognate with O.N. lengd, O.Fris. lengethe, Du. lengte. Fig. sense of "the distance one goes, extremity to which something is carried" is from 1697. Phrase at length "to full extent" is attested from c.1500. Lengthy is first recorded 1759 in Amer.Eng., and until c.1840 always was characterized in British Eng. as an Americanism.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

length (lěngkth, lěngth)
n.
The linear distance between two points.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

length

see at arm's length; at length; go to any length.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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