length

[ lengkth, length, lenth ]

noun

1. the longest extent of anything as measured from end to end:

   the length of a river.

   Synonyms: measure, scope, reach, stretch, span

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.
    1. (of a vowel or syllable) quantity, whether long or short.
    2. 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.

length

/ lɛŋkθ; lɛŋθ /

noun

1. the linear extent or measurement of something from end to end, usually being the longest dimension or, for something fixed, the longest horizontal dimension
2. 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

3. a specified distance, esp between two positions or locations

   the length of a race

4. a period of time, as between specified limits or moments
5. 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

6. a piece or section of something narrow and long

   a length of tubing

7. the quality, state, or fact of being long rather than short
8. usually plural the amount of trouble taken in pursuing or achieving something (esp in the phrase to great lengths )
9. often plural the extreme or limit of action (in phrases such as to any length ( s ), to what length ( s ) would someone go, etc)
10. prosody phonetics the metrical quantity or temporal duration of a vowel or syllable
11. See width
    the distance from one end of a rectangular swimming bath to the other Compare width
12. prosody the quality of a vowel, whether stressed or unstressed, that distinguishes it from another vowel of similar articulatory characteristics. Thus ( iː ) in English beat is of greater length than ( ɪ ) in English bit
13. cricket the distance from the batsman at which the ball pitches
14. bridge a holding of four or more cards in a suit
15. informal.
    the general idea; the main purpose
16. at length
    at length
    1. in depth; fully
    2. eventually
    3. for a long time; interminably

Word History and Origins

Origin of length¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English length(e), Old English lengthu; cognate with Dutch lengte, Old Norse lengd; long ¹, -th ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of length¹

Old English lengthu; related to Middle Dutch lengede, Old Norse lengd

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at length,
   1. in or to the full extent; completely.
   2. after a time; finally:

      At length there was a step forward in the negotiations.

2. 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.

3. 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

On Friday, the department confirmed that Clarkson was on unpaid leave and that none of his three predecessors had been off for the length of time he had been.

From ProPublica

Multicultural viewers identify with sports and especially musicConsumers gravitate towards videos that are culturally relevant to them and this highly correlates with overall viewing lengths.

From Digiday

In contrast, skulls from dingoes in the unbaited region did not significantly change in length over the same time period.

From Science News

The length of the average meeting is down by 20%, according to a new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research, which measured how digital communications have changed since workers went on lockdown this year.

From Quartz

Trust that the blogger you’re pitching to have done their research and selected a specific length of all submissions for a reason.

From Search Engine Watch

To his critics, he explained—sometimes at painful length—his reasoning against it.

From The Daily Beast

“It seems that the different standard is (based on) the length of the beard and outwardly display of piety,” Hamdani said.

From The Daily Beast

Hitchcock was fascinated when I pointed out the similarity, and considered it at some length.

From The Daily Beast

The camera dollied backward along the length of the tower's staircase while simultaneously its lens zoomed forward.

From The Daily Beast

People in the comments section were complaining about the length of one of these essays that ran in The New Yorker.

From The Daily Beast

It ended on a complaint that she was 'tired rather and spending my time at full length on a deck-chair in the garden.'

From Project Gutenberg

These sections also have vibrations of their own which are of shorter length and more rapid motion.

From Project Gutenberg

Besides this fundamental or primary vibration, the movement divides itself into segments, or sections, of the entire length.

From Project Gutenberg

At length only four or five flames remained, feebly wavering in their pools of melted wax.

From Project Gutenberg

The experience of the Jesuit fathers at Port Royal is related at length, from their own point of view.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• breadth
• diameter
• dimension
• duration
• height
• limit
• magnitude
• mileage
• period
• piece
• portion
• quantity
• radius
• range
• section
• segment
• space
• span
• stretch
• term