toise

[ toiz ]

noun

1. an old French unit of length equivalent to 6.395 feet (1.949 meters).

Word History and Origins

Origin of toise¹

1590–1600; < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *tēsa, (feminine singular), Latin tēnsa ( bracchia ) outstretched (arms), neuter plural taken as feminine singular See tense ¹

Example Sentences

Chaucer has treated a toise as if it were equal to two feet; it was really about six.

From Project Gutenberg

In his own translation of the Romaunt, l. 1393, he translates toise by fadome.

From Project Gutenberg

These towers are said to be about one toise higher than those of Notre-Dame.

From Project Gutenberg

The toise used in this measure was afterwards regarded as the standard toise, and is always referred to as the Toise of Peru.

From Project Gutenberg

Subsequently, he investigated the expansion of a toise of iron from the variation in the period of his pendulum.

From Project Gutenberg