cable's length

American  

Or cable length

noun

1. a nautical unit of length equivalent to 720 feet (219 meters) in the U.S. Navy and 608 feet (185 meters) in the British Navy.

---

Etymology

Origin of cable's length

First recorded in 1545–55

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cable's length

Smartly handled, she worked her way in through the narrow, land-locked entrance; then luffing up into the wind, she dropped anchor within a cable's length of the Golden Hope.

From The Quest of the 'Golden Hope' A Seventeenth Century Story of Adventure by Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman

Having gained some distance to windward, while the snow was so thick it was impossible to see the shore, we made sail across the Strait, and hit the place within a cable's length.

From Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836 Volume I. - Proceedings of the First Expedition, 1826-1830 by Robert Fitzroy

Steering straight for the Detroit, a vessel a fourth larger than his own, he gave orders to have the schooners that lagged behind close up within half cable's length.

From The Second War with England, Vol. 1 of 2 by Joel Tyler Headley

A cable's length away was one of the boats with only half a dozen people in her.

From The Wireless Officer by Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman

Closing to within a cable's length of the Warrior he signalled: "Request permission to take off my sub-lieutenant."

From With Beatty off Jutland A Romance of the Great Sea Fight by Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---