measure
a unit or standard of measurement: weights and measures.
a system of measurement: liquid measure.
an instrument, as a graduated rod or a container of standard capacity, for measuring.
the extent, dimensions, quantity, etc., of something, ascertained especially by comparison with a standard: to take the measure of a thing.
the act or process of ascertaining the extent, dimensions, or quantity of something; measurement.
a definite or known quantity measured out: to drink a measure of wine.
any standard of comparison, estimation, or judgment.
a quantity, degree, or proportion: in large measure.
a moderate amount: to live with a measure of enjoyment.
a limit, or an extent or degree not to be exceeded: to know no measure.
reasonable bounds or limits: to know no measure.
a legislative bill or enactment: The senate passed the new measure.
Usually measures. actions or procedures intended as a means to an end: to take measures to avert suspicion.
a short rhythmical movement or arrangement, as in poetry or music.: Compare meter2 (def. 1b).
a particular kind of such arrangement.
a metrical unit.
Music.
the music contained between two bar lines; bar.
an air or melody.
a slow, dignified dance.
Printing. the width, measured in ems or picas, to which a column or page of printed matter is set.
measures, Geology. beds; strata.
Mathematics. an abstraction of the property of length; a set function assigning to each set of a collection of sets a value, usually having the properties of sigma finiteness and finite additivity, the functional value of the whole collection being greater than zero.
to ascertain the extent, dimensions, quantity, capacity, etc., of, especially by comparison with a standard: to measure boundaries.
to mark off or deal out by way of measurement (often followed by off or out): to measure out two cups of flour.
to estimate the relative amount, value, etc., of, by comparison with some standard: to measure the importance of an issue.
to judge or appraise by comparison with something or someone else: to measure Corneille against Racine.
to serve as the measure of: Her sacrifices measure the degree of her love.
to adjust or proportion: to measure a portion to one's liking.
to bring into comparison or competition: to measure one's strength with another's.
to travel over; traverse: to measure a room with great strides.
to take measurements.
to admit of measurement.
to be of a specified measure.
measure up,
to reach a certain standard: The exhibition didn't measure up to last year's.
to be capable or qualified: As an administrator, he couldn't quite measure up.
Idioms about measure
beyond measure, too much to be reckoned; immeasurably; extremely: The suffering that they endured was beyond measure.
for good measure, as an extra: In addition to dessert, they served chocolates for good measure.
have / 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.
in a / some measure, to some extent or degree: His conclusion is justified in some measure.
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.
measure swords,
to test one's preparedness for a contest or encounter.
to battle with swords.
to fight, compete, etc.: The producer of the poorly reviewed show decided to measure swords with the critics.
Origin of measure
1Other words from measure
- meas·ur·er, noun
- in·ter·meas·ure, verb (used with object), in·ter·meas·ured, in·ter·meas·ur·ing.
- mis·meas·ure, verb, mis·meas·ured, mis·meas·ur·ing.
- outmeasure, verb (used with object), out·meas·ured, out·meas·ur·ing.
- pre·meas·ure, verb (used with object), pre·meas·ured, pre·meas·ur·ing.
- re·meas·ure, verb (used with object), re·meas·ured, re·meas·ur·ing.
- un·der·meas·ure, verb (used with object), un·der·meas·ured, un·der·meas·ur·ing, noun
Words Nearby measure
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use measure in a sentence
By some measures, such as the number of people on job retention schemes, the US looks like it’s on a different planet.
The District of Columbia, home to only around 700,000 residents, actually leads the way by that measure.
How much coronavirus relief funding has gone to your state? | reymashayekhi | September 16, 2020 | FortuneIt’s a measure of how likely it is that I would by accident find a difference as big as the one I found here.
Build ice towers with bottled water and ice | Bethany Brookshire | September 16, 2020 | Science News For StudentsUkraine ranked first worldwide on Chainalysis’s Global Crypto Adoption Index, which includes measures of cryptocurrency value received, exchanged, and deposited.
Eastern Europe leads the world in cryptocurrency adoption—legal and otherwise | dzanemorris | September 14, 2020 | FortuneIt was vastly more expensive than had the City Council just placed a measure on the ballot.
Politics Report: Forged Footnote 15 | Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts | September 12, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
Taraji manages to bring an equal measure of truth to the mother in her character.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist | Judnick Mayard | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut the inability to measure progress in the ISIS campaign is widespread.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War | Nancy A. Youssef | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTWith that, there is no means to consistently measure progress.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War | Nancy A. Youssef | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThere would, then, likely be significant police resistance to this measure.
How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities | Elizabeth Picciuto | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA petition has been delivered in Nevada that will put a similar measure to the one in Washington on the ballot in 2016.
Yet if there is a measure of untruth in such pretty flatteries, one needs to be superhuman in order to condemn them harshly.
Children's Ways | James Sully(p. 054) At this period it appears that tobacco was used as money, and as the measure of price and value.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.Not only have its fundamental principles been fully vindicated but in most details the working of the measure has been successful.
Readings in Money and Banking | Chester Arthur PhillipsThe alternate hexameter and pentameter are, for most purposes, a more agreeable measure than the hexameter by itself.
The early recognition of pictured objects, of which certain animals have a measure, is often strikingly discerning.
Children's Ways | James Sully
British Dictionary definitions for measure
/ (ˈmɛʒə) /
the extent, quantity, amount, or degree of something, as determined by measurement or calculation
a device for measuring distance, volume, etc, such as a graduated scale or container
a system of measurement: give the size in metric measure
a standard used in a system of measurements: the international prototype kilogram is the measure of mass in SI units
a specific or standard amount of something: a measure of grain; short measure; full measure
a basis or standard for comparison: his work was the measure of all subsequent attempts
reasonable or permissible limit or bounds: we must keep it within measure
degree or extent (often in phrases such as in some measure, in a measure, etc): they gave him a measure of freedom
(often plural) a particular action intended to achieve an effect: they took measures to prevent his leaving
a legislative bill, act, or resolution: to bring in a measure
music another word for bar 1 (def. 15a)
prosody poetic rhythm or cadence; metre
a metrical foot
poetic a melody or tune
the act of measuring; measurement
archaic a dance
printing the width of a page or column of type
for good measure as an extra precaution or beyond requirements
get the measure of someone or get someone's measure to assess the nature, character, quality, etc, of someone
made to measure (of clothes) made to fit an individual purchaser
(tr often foll by up) to determine the size, amount, etc, of by measurement
(intr) to make a measurement or measurements
(tr) to estimate or determine: I measured his strength to be greater than mine
(tr) to function as a measurement of: the ohm measures electrical resistance
(tr) to bring into competition or conflict: he measured his strength against that of his opponent
(intr) to be as specified in extent, amount, etc: the room measures six feet
(tr) to travel or move over as if measuring
(tr) to adjust or choose: he measured his approach to suit the character of his client
(intr) to allow or yield to measurement
Origin of measure
1- See also measure off, measure out, measures, measure up
Derived forms of measure
- measurer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with measure
In addition to the idiom beginning with measure
- measure up
also see:
- beyond measure
- for good measure
- in some measure
- made to measure
- take someone's measure
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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