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length definition

length (leŋkt̸h, leŋt̸h)

noun

  1. the measure of how long a thing is; measurement of anything from end to end; the greatest of the two or three dimensions of anything
  2. extent in space; distance anything extends
  3. extent in time; duration
  4. a long stretch or extent
  5. the quality, state, or fact of being long
  6. a piece of a certain or standardized length a length of stove pipe
  7. a unit of measure consisting of the length of an object or animal competing in a race to win a boat race by two lengths
  8. Phonet.
    1. the duration of the pronunciation of a vowel the i in bride has greater length than the i in bright
    2. popularly the quality of a vowel
  9. Prosody syllabic quantity

Etymology: ME < OE lengthu < base of lang, long + -th

length Idioms

at full length

stretched out; completely extended

at length

  1. after a long time; finally
  2. in or to the whole extent; in full
  3. for a long time and in great detail

go to any length

to do whatever is necessary; scruple at nothing

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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