a unit or standard of measurement: weights and measures.
2.
a system of measurement: liquid measure.
3.
an instrument, as a graduated rod or a container of standard capacity, for measuring.
4.
the extent, dimensions, quantity, etc., of something, ascertained esp. by comparison with a standard: to take the measure of a thing.
5.
the act or process of ascertaining the extent, dimensions, or quantity of something; measurement.
6.
a definite or known quantity measured out: to drink a measure of wine.
7.
any standard of comparison, estimation, or judgment.
8.
a quantity, degree, or proportion: in large measure.
9.
a moderate amount: to live with a measure of enjoyment.
10.
a limit, or an extent or degree not to be exceeded: to know no measure.
11.
reasonable bounds or limits: to know no measure.
12.
a legislative bill or enactment: The senate passed the new measure.
13.
Usually, measures.actions or procedures intended as a means to an end: to take measures to avert suspicion.
14.
a short rhythmical movement or arrangement, as in poetry or music.
15.
a particular kind of such arrangement.
16.
the music contained between two bar lines; bar.
17.
a metrical unit.
18.
an air or melody.
19.
a slow, dignified dance.
20.
Printing. the width, measured in ems or picas, to which a column or page of printed matter is set.
21.
measures, Geology. beds; strata.
22.
Mathematics. an abstraction of the property of length; a set function assigning to each set of a collection of sets a value, usu. having the properties of sigma finiteness and fnite additivity, the functional value of the whole collection being greater than zero.
–verb (used with object)
23.
to ascertain the extent, dimensions, quantity, capacity, etc., of, esp. by comparison with a standard: to measure boundaries.
24.
to mark off or deal out by way of measurement (often fol. by off or out): to measure out two cups of flour.
25.
to estimate the relative amount, value, etc., of, by comparison with some standard: to measure the importance of an issue.
26.
to judge or appraise by comparison with something or someone else: to measure Corneille against Racine.
27.
to serve as the measure of: Her sacrifices measure the degree of her love.
28.
to adjust or proportion: to measure a portion to one's liking.
29.
to bring into comparison or competition: to measure one's strength with another's.
30.
to travel over; traverse: to measure a room with great strides.
–verb (used without object)
31.
to take measurements.
32.
to admit of measurement.
33.
to be of a specified measure.
—Verb phrase
34.
measure up,
a.
to reach a certain standard: The exhibition didn't measure up to last year's.
b.
to be capable or qualified: As an administrator, he couldn't quite measure up.
—Idioms
35.
beyond measure, too much to be reckoned; immeasurably; extremely: The suffering that they endured was beyond measure.
36.
for good measure, as an extra: In addition to dessert, they served chocolates for good measure.
37.
have or take someone's measure, to judge or assess someone's character, capabilities, etc.; size up: During their conversation she was taking his measure as a prospective employee.
38.
in a or some measure, to some extent or degree: His conclusion is justified in some measure.
39.
measure one's length, to fall or be knocked down; fall flat: He missed a step in the dark and measured his length at the bottom.
40.
measure swords,
a.
to test one's preparedness for a contest or encounter.
b.
to battle with swords.
c.
to fight, compete, etc.: The producer of the poorly reviewed show decided to measure swords with the critics.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME mesure < MF < L ménsūra equiv. to méns(us) (ptp. of métīrī to measure, mete) + -ūra-ure]
c.1300, from O.Fr. mesurer, from L.L. mensurare "to measure," from L. mensura "a measuring, a thing to measure by," from mensus, pp. of metiri "to measure," from PIE *ma-/*me- "measure" (see meter (2)). Replaced O.E. cognate mæð "measure." The noun also is attested from c.1300. Meaning "treatment 'meted out' to someone" is from 1593; that of "plan or course of action intended to obtain some goal" is from 1698; sense of "legislative enactment" is from 1759. To measure up "have the necessary abilities" is 1910, Amer.Eng. Phrase for good measure (1382) is lit. "ample in quantity, in goods sold by measure."
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal; "the situation called for strong measures"; "the police took steps to reduce crime"
2.
how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
3.
a statute in draft before it becomes law; "they held a public hearing on the bill" [syn: bill]
4.
the act or process of assigning numbers to phenomena according to a rule; "the measurements were carefully done"; "his mental measurings proved remarkably accurate" [syn: measurement]
5.
a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated; "the schools comply with federal standards"; "they set the measure for all subsequent work" [syn: standard]
6.
(prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse [syn: meter]
7.
musical notation for a repeating pattern of musical beats; "the orchestra omitted the last twelve bars of the song"
8.
measuring instrument having a sequence of marks at regular intervals; used as a reference in making measurements [syn: measuring stick]
9.
a container of some standard capacity that is used to obtain fixed amounts of a substance
verb
1.
determine the measurements of something or somebody, take measurements of; "Measure the length of the wall"
2.
express as a number or measure or quantity; "Can you quantify your results?" [syn: quantify]
3.
have certain dimensions; "This table surfaces measures 20inches by 36 inches"
4.
evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of; "I will have the family jewels appraised by a professional"; "access all the factors when taking a risk"
Ad*meas"ure\ (?; 135), v. t. [Cf. OF. amesurer, LL. admensurare. See Measure.]1. To measure. 2. (Law) To determine the proper share of, or the proper apportionment; as, to admeasure dower; to admeasure common of pasture. --Blackstone. 2. The measure of a thing; dimensions; size. 3. (Law) Formerly, the adjustment of proportion, or ascertainment of shares, as of dower or pasture held in common. This was by writ of admeasurement, directed to the sheriff.
Di*men"sion\, n. [L. dimensio, fr. dimensus, p. p. of dimetiri to measure out; di- = dis- + metiri to measure: cf. F. dimension. See Measure.]1. Measure in a single line, as length, breadth, height, thickness, or circumference; extension; measurement; -- usually, in the plural, measure in length and breadth, or in length, breadth, and thickness; extent; size; as, the dimensions of a room, or of a ship; the dimensions of a farm, of a kingdom. Gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions. --W. Irving. Space of dimension, extension that has length but no breadth or thickness; a straight or curved line. Space of two dimensions, extension which has length and breadth, but no thickness; a plane or curved surface. Space of three dimensions, extension which has length, breadth, and thickness; a solid. Space of four dimensions, an imaginary kind of extension, which is assumed to have length, breadth, thickness, and also a fourth imaginary dimension. Space of five or six, or more dimensions is also sometimes assumed in mathematics. 2. Extent; reach; scope; importance; as, a project of large dimensions. 3. (Math.) The degree of manifoldness of a quantity; as, time is quantity having one dimension; volume has three dimensions, relative to extension. 4. (Alg.) A literal factor, as numbered in characterizing a term. The term dimensions forms with the cardinal numbers a phrase equivalent to degree with the ordinal; thus, a^2b^2c is a term of five dimensions, or of the fifth degree. 5. pl. (Phys.) The manifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities. Note: Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length [divby] time; the dimensions of work are mass [times] (length)^2 [divby] (time)^2; the dimensions of density are mass [divby] (length)^3. Dimension lumber, Dimension scantling, or Dimension stock (Carp.), lumber for building, etc., cut to the sizes usually in demand, or to special sizes as ordered. Dimension stone, stone delivered from the quarry rough, but brought to such sizes as are requisite for cutting to dimensions given.
Im*mense"\, a. [L. immensus; pref. im- not + mensus, p. p. of metiri to measure: cf. F. immense. See Measure.] Immeasurable; unlimited. In commonest use: Very great; vast; huge. "Immense the power" --Pope. "Immense and boundless ocean." --Daniel. O Goodness infinite! Goodness immense! --Milton. Syn: Infinite; immeasurable; illimitable; unbounded; unlimited; interminable; vast; prodigious; enormous; monstrous. See Enormous.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [mezh-er] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -ured, -ur·ing. 
