lengthn.
/lɛŋ(k)θ/, /lɛnθ/, U.S. /lɛŋ(k)θ/ I. Quality of being long.† 6. The extent of space within which it is possible to touch or act upon something; reach. Obsolete.† 9. = longitude n. Obsolete.
1. † b. in length and (in) breadth (or brede), length and breadth, etc.: throughout the whole area (of a country), in all parts or directions.
a. The linear magnitude of any thing as measured from end to end; the greatest of the three dimensions of a body or figure; longitudinal extent.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > [noun]
lenghc888
longnessOE
length1154
dimension1413
sideness1422
longitude?a1425
prolixity?a1425
distance1582
longity1604
distent1613
protension1704
sidth1831
1154 Anglo-Saxon Chron. anno 1122 (Laud) Hi sægon on norð east fir micel & brad wið þone eorðe & weax on lengþe.
c1275 Laȝamon Brut 21993 Hit his on lengþe four and twenti mundes.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 8244 A-boute þat tre, A siluer cercle son naild he..to..knau þe wax o gret and length [Fairf. lenght, Gött. lenthe].
a1400 Octouian 407 The Frensch seyd he was of heghth Ten foot of length.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 210 Þe hede of an elnȝerde þe large lenkþe hade.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) ii. 6 Þe crosse..was of lenth viii. cubits.
1434 in F. J. Furnivall Fifty Earliest Eng. Wills (1882) 101 Another bordcloth..in lenkethe ij ȝerdes, & on halfe large.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Rev. xxi. 16 The lenght and the breth, and the heyght off hit, were equall.
1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 25 I gather the lengthe of a degree to be the .360. parte of the heaven.
1570 H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. i. f. 1v A line..is conceaued to be drawne in length onely.
1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler viii. 162 The Carp..will grow to a very great bigness and length . View more context for this quotation
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 893 A dark Illimitable Ocean..Without dimension, where length, breadth, and highth, And time and place are lost. View more context for this quotation
1774 M. Mackenzie Treat. Maritim Surv. 11 Taking the Length of XY from a Scale of equal Parts, set it off from X to Y.
1777 J. Priestley Doctr. Philos. Necessity 177 The most exalted piece of matter possible must have length, breadth, and thickness.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xvi. 117 The full length of the rope between us.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > here, there, etc. > [phrase] > everywhere
far and near or nighOE
in length and (in) breadth (or brede)a1250
high and low1525
here, there, and everywherea1593
in every stead1596
through long and broad ——1617
from Dan to Beersheba1738
all along the line1877
all over the auction1930
a1250 Owl & Nightingale 174 Ich habbe on brede and ek on lengþe Castel god on mine rise.
c1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 38/138 Ne scholde no man so euene a þrovȝ in lengþe and in brede.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 7911 Þat folc..robbede Wircestressire In lengþe & in brede.
a1300 Cursor Mundi 2130 Þe folk..fild þe werld o lenth and brede.
13.. Sir Beues 537 (MS. A) A fairer child neuer i ne siȝ, Neiþer a lingþe ne on brade.
1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. iii. 196 He hedde beo lord of that lond in lenkthe and in brede.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 3055 Deliuer þi londes a-ȝen in lengþe & in brede.
1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. iii. 202 A lengthe and a brede.]
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 5027 Lauerd..þat..taght adam on lenth and wide.
a1400 Octouian 548 Ten schypmen to londe yede To se the yle yn lengthe and brede.
c1480 (a1400) Prol. Evangelists 50 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 237 Of al þis warld, lynth & bred.
1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) v. l. 20 About the park thai set on breid and lenth..All likly men.
a1513 W. Dunbar Ballat Passioun in Poems (1998) I. 36 On to the crose of breid and lenth To gar his lymmis largear wax.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Gen. xiii. D Arise, and go thorow the londe, in the length and bredth [1611 in the length of it, and in the breadth of it].
c. Phrases. to find, get, know the length of (a person's) foot: see to find (know, etc.) the length (also measure) of a person's foot at foot n. and int. Phrases 7b; the length of one's nose, tether: see nose n., tether n.
d. with a and plural. An instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > [noun] > an instance of
length1709
1709 G. Berkeley Ess. New Theory of Vision §61. 66 Inches, Feet, &c. are settled, stated Lengths.
1816 H. Douglas Ess. Mil. Bridges v. 133 There are three lengths given in the table, for each mean girth.
1838 Penny Cycl. XI. 153/1 Given, the area of a parallelogram, and the ratio of its sides; required, the lengths of those sides.
2.
a. Extent from beginning to end, e.g. of a period of time, a series or enumeration, a word, a speech or composition. †in length of time: in course of time.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > [noun]
lengtha1240
date?1316
durationc1384
hautesse1399
quantity?a1425
periodc1475
tracta1513
allowance1526
continuance1530
wideness1535
continue1556
protense1590
countenance1592
stay1595
standing1600
dimension1605
longanimity1607
longinquity1607
insisture1609
existence1615
unprivationa1628
continuity1646
protension1654
measure1658
course1665
contention1666
propagation1741
protensity1886
the world > time > [adverb] > in course of time or as time goes on
on (also upon) hand (also hands)c1200
in (also by) (the) process of time1357
by (also in) process?1523
in success of time1546
in continuancea1552
in length of time1697
a1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 261 Þe imeane blisse is seouenfald lengðe of lif.
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 444 To.. leden þerinne our lif þe lengþe of our daies.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 425 Þe lenþe of Noe lyf.
c1480 (a1400) St. Nicholas 882 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 506 God hym lent lynt & space hyme to repent.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. cccxxxii. 519 The lenght of the siege.
1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. II. iii. vi. sig. Hh.ij/1 The Equinoctiall is, when the day and night is both of on length.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 104 In length of Time produce the lab'ring Yoke. View more context for this quotation
1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 31/1 The Stone has in length of time closed up the Mouth of the Valley.
1860 J. W. Carlyle Lett. III. 34 A stay of any length there would not suit me at all.
1902 N.E.D. at Length Mod. The chapters of the book are very unequal in length.
b. An instance of this; a period or duration of time, esp. a long period.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > [noun] > long duration or lasting through time > a long time
seven daysOE
a while1297
dreichc1440
dreightc1450
yearsa1470
age1577
week1597
montha1616
patriarch's age1693
length1697
eternity1700
a month of Sundays1759
a week of Sundays1822
a week of Saturdays1831
dog's age1833
forever1833
while1836
aeon1880
donkey's years1916
light year1929
yonks1968
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 117 After such a length of rowling Years. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis xii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 616 She drew a length of Sighs [L. multa gemens].
1786 A. Gib Καινα και Παλαια: Sacred Contempl. i. iv. 52 There are consistent delays of it for various lengths of time.
1838 J. H. Newman Parochial Serm. (1839) IV. xx. 348 He had to bear a length of years in loneliness.
1846 W. S. Landor Imaginary Conversat. in Wks. I. 4/1 [Sidney] How delightful it is to see a friend after a length of absence.
1877 L. Morris Epic of Hades i. 8 The weary lengths Of Time.
c. Bridge. Four or more cards of the same suit held in a Bridge hand.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [noun] > types of hand > distribution of cards in hand > specific
chicane1886
quick trick1921
length1927
honour trick1931
1927 M. C. Work Contract Bridge iii. 43 The game-goer may be bid with a blank suit or a worthless singleton if the trump length be satisfactory.
1930 E. Culbertson Contract Bridge Blue Bk. xxii. 285 To build up, if possible, a great minor suit length in the strong hand.
1948 E. Culbertson Contract Bridge for Everyone (1949) 77 When your principal length or strength is in the suit your opponent has bid, do not overcall.
1958 Listener 2 Oct. 541/1 West, from the bidding, is probably aware of his [sc. North's] great Club length.
1973 Sunday Times 20 May (Colour Suppl.) 90/2 It is easy to enter for East holding length in diamonds by playing the Ace and the Queen.
3.
a. The quality or fact of being long; opposed to shortness. †of length: long.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > [noun] > long duration or lasting through time
lenghc888
longnessOE
enduringc1374
length1388
continuing1398
long lasting?c1400
perdurability?a1425
perseverance?a1425
permanence1440
perdurablenessc1450
perdurationc1450
continuation1469
diuturnity?a1475
prolixityc1500
endurancea1513
sustention1515
continuance1552
long standinga1568
longitude1596
long-lastingness1598
sempiternity1599
consistence1606
persistence1621
long-livedness1652
abidingness1654
productedness1664
imperdibility1713
longiturnity1727
endurableness1795
lengthiness1829
endurability1837
perenniality1841
longevity1842
protractedness1855
enduringnessa1867
the world > time > duration > [adjective] > long-lasting or enduring
longeOE
longsomeeOE
long of lifeOE
lastinga1225
cleaving1340
continualc1340
dwellingc1380
long-livinga1382
everlastingc1384
long-duringa1387
long-lasting?a1400
long-liveda1400
broadc1400
permanable?c1422
perseverant?a1425
permanentc1425
perdurable?a1439
continuedc1440
abiding1448
unremoved1455
eternalc1460
long-continued1464
continuing1526
long-enduring1527
enduring1532
immortal1538
diuturn?1541
veterated1547
resiant?1567
stayinga1568
well-wearinga1568
substantive1575
pertinacious1578
extant1581
ceaseless1590
marble1596
of length1597
longeval1598
diuturnal1599
nine-lived1600
chronic1601
unexhausted1602
chronical1604
endurable1607
continuant1610
indeflourishing1610
aged1611
indurant1611
continuatea1616
perennious1628
seculara1631
undiscontinueda1631
continuated1632
untransitory1632
long-spun1633
momently1641
stative1643
outliving1645
constant1653
long-descended1660
voluminousa1661
perduring1664
perdurant1671
livelong1673
perennial1676
longeve1678
consequential1681
unquenched1703
lifelong1746
momentary1755
inveterate1780
stabile1797
persistent1826
unpassing1831
all-time1846
year-long1846
teak-built1847
lengthful1855
long-term1867
long haul1873
sticky1879
week-to-week1879
perenduring1883
long-range1885
longish1889
long-time1902
long run1904
long-life1915
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > [noun] > fact or condition of being long
length1597
sesquipedality1760
lengthiness1875
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > [adjective] > long
longsomeeOE
fara1000
longOE
prolixa1500
of length1597
prolixious1599
lengthful?1611
tediousa1616
distanta1645
longinquous1670
long-drawn1726
lengthy1760
prolongated1776
1388 J. Wyclif Psalms xci. 16 I schal fille hym with the lengthe of daies [ Coverdale & 1611 long(e life].
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II iv. i. 10 Is not my arme of length, That reacheth from the restful English court, As farre as Callice.
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida i. iii. 136 To end a tale of length . View more context for this quotation
1611 Bible (King James) Job xii. 12 With the ancient is wisedome, and in length of dayes, vnderstanding. View more context for this quotation
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxvi. 139 Such Customes have their force, onely from Length of Time.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost xi. 782 Peace would have crownd With length of happy days the race of man. View more context for this quotation
1762 Ld. Kames Elements Crit. II. xviii. 441 Secondly, the length of an Hexameter line hath a majestic air.
1805 W. Wordsworth Waggoner ii. 146 ‘A bowl, a bowl of double measure’, Cries Benjamin, ‘a draught of length!’
1902 N.E.D. at Length Mod. The length of the journey was the chief objection to it.
b. Prolixity, lengthiness. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > copiousness > [noun] > prolixity
prolixityc1395
tediouste?a1412
diffusiona1413
diffuseness1474
tediousness?a1475
largeness1547
longness1587
prolixness?1590
length1597
longanimity1607
tediositya1625
wire-drawing1640
longinquity1641
long-windedness1648
diffusivenessa1719
sprawling1822
longsomeness1834
ramblingness1835
lengthsomeness1849
bagginess1860
lengthiness1863
governmentese1907
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II v. i. 94 Come come in wooing sorrow lets be briefe, Since wedding it, there is such length in griefe. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) iv. xv. 46 I will o're-take thee Cleopatra, and Weepe for my pardon. So it must be, for now All length is Torture. View more context for this quotation
1782 W. Cowper Conversation in Poems 216 The clash of arguments and jar of words..Decide no question with their tedious length.
1791 E. Burke Let. to Member National Assembly in Wks. (1823) VI. 67 Excuse my length.
1875 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) V. 456 There is no reason why brevity should be preferred to length.
4.
a. A distance equal to the length of something specified or implied. at arm's length: see arm n.1 Phrases 2b cable('s) length: see cable n. 2c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > [noun] > specific distance > equal to the length of something spec.
length1413
1413 Pilgr. Sowle (1483) iv. xxvi. 71 A litel hows whiche hath in euery side skars a mannes lengthe.
1474–5 in Hist. MSS Comm.: 10th Rep.: App. Pt. V: MSS Marquis of Ormonde &c. (1885) 311 in Parl. Papers (C. 4576-I) XLII. 1 Within the laynth of a myle unto the citie.
a1572 J. Knox Hist. Reformation Scotl. in Wks. (1846) I. 223 Nott two payre of boot lenthis distant frome the toune.
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet ii. i. 89 He tooke me by the wrist, and held me hard, Then goes he to the length of all his arme. View more context for this quotation
1686 J. Dunton Lett. from New Eng. (1867) 31 We could scarce see the Ship's length before us.
1717 tr. A. F. Frézier Voy. South-Sea 261 Adorn'd with Porticos of Timber Work, the Length of the Building.
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 20 I might..have gone the Length of a..Street.
1842 T. B. Macaulay Horatius in Lays Anc. Rome 64 Six spears' lengths from the entrance Halted that mighty mass.
1851 M. Reid Scalp Hunters II. viii. 146 They had got the mustang some fifty lengths of himself out into the prairie.
1885 Sir C. P. Butt in Law Times Rep. 53 61/1 The look-out..saw..at a distance of two ship's lengths, a red light on board the smack.
1888 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion (new ed.) V. xii. 79 When they come within little more than a horse-length.
b. one's length: the extent of one's body or form from head to foot or end to end.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily height > [noun]
wastumOE
staturec1380
pitch1575
status1577
one's lengtha1586
inchesa1616
standard1833
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) ii. iv. sig. Q6v Laying all her faire length vnder one of the trees.
1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream iii. iii. 17 Faintnesse constraineth mee, To measure, out my length, on this cold bed. View more context for this quotation
1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 74 The roof, though moveable through all its length As the wind sways it, has yet well sufficed.
1820 P. B. Shelley Prometheus Unbound iv. i. 152 The serpent that would clasp her with his length.
1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess v. 97 All her fair length upon the ground she lay.
1870 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. Sc. Life (ed. 18) iv. 81 I fell all my length.
c. Sport. The measure of a boat, a horse, etc., engaged in a race, taken as a unit in measuring the amount by which the race is won.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [noun] > units of length or distance > unit by which a race is won
length1664
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > [noun] > measure of amount by which race is won
length1664
1664 S. Butler Hudibras: Second Pt. ii. iii. 216 Left Danger, Fears, and Foes behind And beat, at least three lengths, the Wind.
1700 J. Dryden tr. Ovid Cinyras & Myrrha in Fables 186 Time glides along, with undiscover'd haste, The Future but a Length behind the past.
1812 Sporting Mag. 39 186 This was a most excellent race, and only won by a length.
1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales II. 116 Owen..was some lengths behind in the last hundred yards.
1887 O. W. Holmes 100 Days Europe i. 52 One [horse] slides by the other, half a length, a length, a length and a half.
1894 Times 19 Mar. 12/2 The Oxford crew won by three and a half lengths.
d. Swimming. The length of the swimming-bath taken as a measure of distance swum. Also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > swimming > [noun] > swimming pool > length of
lap1883
length1912
1912 F. Sachs Compl. Swimmer 237 They..arrange their races to suit the baths, and their handicaps..are measured by its length, i.e. ‘3 lengths (90 yards) handicap’.
1931 G. H. Corsan Diving & Swimming Bk. viii. 74 Have the fastest swimmers swim a three lengths race.
1931 G. H. Corsan Diving & Swimming Bk. viii. 74 Finish with relay races of two lengths.
1972 B. Turner Solden's Women xvii. 154 I'm not such a good swimmer as Patricia was. Three lengths at the baths is about my limit.
5. figurative.1753 Scots Mag. Jan. 8/2 That [treaty] never came any great length.1837 T. Carlyle Let. 28 Aug. in Atlantic Monthly (1898) LXXXII. 305/1 You do not say that the disorder has got that length with you.
a. With a demonstrative or other defining word: Distance. the length of: as far as. Now Scottish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > [noun] > a distance
strikec1330
spacea1382
lengtha1500
starta1552
a good (also great, little, long, etc.) ways1568
a ways1858
the world > space > distance > [phrase] > as far as
up to ——944
the length ofa1500
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin x. 161 Ye myght here the strokes half a myle of length.
1578 Hunnis in Par. Dainty Devices 2 They be the lines that lead the length, How farre my race is for to runne.
c1580 Merye Hist. Mylner Abyngton (new ed.) sig. A.iij The mylners house is nere Not the length of a lande.
1687 London Gaz. No. 2251/4 Which we had scarce done when the other three Ships had got our length.
1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 395 He [Essex] had marched to the length of Exeter.
1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World ii. 71 We had found it very cold before we came this length, but now began to feel the extremity of it.
1776 Ld. Sandwich et al. in J. Cook Jrnls. (1967) III. i. p. ccxxi When you get that Length, you are very carefully..to explore, such Rivers..as may appear to be of considerable extent.
1870 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. Sc. Life (ed. 18) v. 111 The loan of a horse ‘the length’ of Highgate.
1886 T. L. Kington-Oliphant New Eng. I. 295 In Scotland they say, ‘I will come your length’.
b. figurative in adverbial phrases: The distance or extent to which one ‘goes’ (in a line of action, opinion, etc.); the degree of extremity to which something is ‘carried’. Chiefly, to go (to) the length of, to go a (great, etc.) length, to go (all, etc.) lengths.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > [noun] > state of or advanced condition > extent to which an action is taken
length1698
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > act or do vigorously [verb (intransitive)] > act in thoroughgoing manner > go to great lengths
to go (all, etc.) lengths1698
the world > action or operation > doing > do [verb (transitive)] > go to a certain length in action
to go (to) the length of1875
1698 J. Collier Short View Immorality Eng. Stage i. 9 The Royal Leonora..runs a strange Length in the History of Love.
1718 Mem. Life J. Kettlewell iii. lxvi. 351 Others who could not..go their lengths.
1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 245 They had not come to that length.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xviii. viii. 235 I think you went Lengths indeed. View more context for this quotation
1779 Hume in H. Calderwood Hume (1898) iii. 30 Your spirit of Controversy..carries you strange lengths.
1792 G. Washington Let. in Writings (1891) XII. 177 When matters get to such lengths, the natural inference is, that both sides have strained the cords beyond their bearing.
1844 B. Disraeli Coningsby vii. iv He would go..any lengths for his party.
1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia I. v. vi. 594 The cunningest of men, able to lie to all lengths.
1875 B. Jowett in tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) I. 404 They do not go the length of denying the pre-existence of ideas.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > [noun] > limit of distance or reach
lengthc1540
reachc1595
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 6573 Er he be led out of lenght, & lost of your sight.
1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles i. 210 If I can get him within my Pistols length . View more context for this quotation
a1665 K. Digby Jrnl. Voy. to Mediterranean (1868) 60 They could not open my shippes till they were within halfe the length of our ordinaunce.
7. Archery. The distance to which an arrow must be shot in order to hit the mark.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > competitive shooting > archery > [noun] > distance to target
mark shot?c1350
butt shotc1500
length1545
prickshot1548
1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus ii. f. 1 Phi. Howe manye thynges are required to make a man euer more hyt the marke? Tox. Twoo. Phi. Whiche twoo? Tox. Shotinge streyght and kepynge of a lengthe.
1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus ii. f. 33 The greatest enemy of shootyng is the wynde and the wether, wherby true kepyng a lengthe is chefely hindered.
1801 T. Roberts Eng. Bowman 290 Length, the distance shot.
8.
a. Prosody. Quantity (of a sound or syllable). Also, long quantity (opposed to shortness).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > versification > rhythm > [noun] > quantity
quantity?1566
length1762
weight1898
society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > versification > rhythm > [noun] > quantity > long quantity
length1762
longness1841
1762 Ld. Kames Elements Crit. II. xviii. 243 The emotion raised by the length or shortness, the roughness or smoothness, of the sound.
1762 Ld. Kames Elements Crit. II. xviii. 360 The different lengths of syllables, i.e. the difference of time taken in pronouncing.
1884 A. Gosset Fr. Prosody i. 1 Some theorists forbid rhymes between syllables, whose difference of length is marked by a circumflex accent.
b. length-mark n. a phonetic symbol used to indicate the relative length of a vowel sound.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > [noun] > phonetic transcription > phonetic symbols
sheva1582
quantity mark1860
breathing1864
stress mark1881
rounder1888
polygraph1893
shadda1896
modifier1899
length-mark1926
shift-sign1939
agma1957
1926 L. E. Armstrong & I. C. Ward Handbk. Eng. Intonation p. vii Length marks (: long and half-long) are used to indicate length only and not difference in vowel quality.
1932 D. Jones Outl. Eng. Phonetics (ed. 3) 65 The letter i without the length-mark stands for the members of the English i-phoneme used when the sound is relatively short.
1965 Eng. Stud. 46 359 No allophonic length-marks are used.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > geodetic references > [noun] > longitude
longitudec1400
longtitude1578
length1581
long1693
1581 Compendious Exam. Certayne Ordinary Complaints i. f. 8v Without knowledge of the latitude of the place by the Poole, and ye length, by other starres.
10.
a. Cricket. The proper distance for pitching a ball in bowling; that distance which constitutes a good pitch. Also = length ball n. at Compounds. Hence length bowler.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > bowling > [noun] > a ball bowled > properties of
length1772
pace?1801
bias1822
pitch1833
line1961
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > bowling > [noun] > a ball bowled > correct distance for pitching ball
length1772
1772 Noble Game of Cricket in Kentish Gaz. 22 Aug. 4/1 Ye bowlers..measure each step, and be sure pitch a length.
1833 J. Nyren Young Cricketer's Tutor 29 (heading) How to stop a ball dropped rather short of a length.
1850 ‘Bat’ Cricketer's Man. (rev. ed.) 41 Good lengths depend entirely on the pace.
1897 Daily News 18 June 2/6 Such a good length did the bowlers keep that during the first half-hour only 20 runs were made.
1910 Blackwood's Mag. Jan. 91/1 Only at the last gasp was any serious effort made to knock him off his length.
1937 Daily Herald 5 Jan. 14/1 [Verity] The best length bowler in England.
1956 N. Cardus Close of Play 176 The old~fashioned ‘length’ bowlers, ball after ball on the same spot.
1958 D. Bradman Art of Cricket 97/1 I prefer to think in terms of a ‘good length ball’ and to define it thus—‘The type of delivery which has the striker in two minds as to whether he should play forward or back.’
1969 Listener 1 May 622/3 At first Powell hit the ball all around the field and, just as it looked as if Miller might be finding his length, the item ended.
b. In racket games: the quality of making shots which pitch well back in the court and deny the opponent an easy return; the placing of a shot in this way; the ‘form’ required to make such shots consistently.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > racket games > [noun] > types of play or stroke
fault1599
back-hand1657
serving1688
let1819
return1832
ace1840
error1877
rally1879
knock-up1884
drop1900
kill1903
soft kill1910
angle shot1911
retrieve1913
length1924
put-away1932
1924 G. W. Hillyard Forty Years Lawn Tennis viii. 136 He..went on hitting..until he did get his ‘length’, and then it was..a case of woe betide the other man.
1930 Morning Post 19 July 14/6 The Italian's fine mixture of pace and length was pitted against Lott's youth, power, and cunning.
1948 S. Noel More about Squash Rackets i. 24 Angles, drop-shots..and reverse angles are all the stock-in-trade of the professional, in addition to a sound length game.
1961 J. H. Giles Squash Rackets viii. 41 It [sc. the lob shot] can also be used as an attacking shot, providing as it does a complete change of pace and flight from the orthodox drive and length shots.
1964 R. Laver How to play Winning Tennis vii. 57 You can get good length with the topspin I use.
1966 Observer 8 May 19/5 She was quick to switch from her steady baseline game into a counter attack whenever Miss Niessen lost her length.
II. Concrete senses.
11.
a. A long stretch or extent.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > [noun] > that which has length > a long or continuous extent of something
range1601
swath?1606
length1609
swartha1616
stretch1661
ringe1706
span1894
1609 W. Shakespeare Sonnets xliv. sig. D2 To leape large lengths of miles. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) i. i. 105 Large lengths of seas and shores Betweene my father, and my mother lay. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 134 That length of Region, and large Tract of Ground. View more context for this quotation
1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 15 From the bounded Level of our Mind, Short Views we take, nor see the Lengths behind.
1715 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad I. ii. 649 Down their broad Shoulders falls a Length of Hair.
1785 W. Cowper Task iv. 355 He brandishes his pliant length of whip.
1785 W. Cowper Task i. 252 Not distant far, a length of colonnade Invites us.
1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess i. 13 With lengths of yellow ringlet, like a girl.
b. A piece of a certain or distinct length, esp. one cut off or separable from a larger piece.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a separate part > a piece or bit > narrow piece > of a certain length
length1645
1645 in D. G. Hill Dedham (Mass.) Rec. (1892) III. 112 Samll Milles hath libertie to cut 400 lengthes of hoopes poles on the common.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 18 The Compositer may cut them into such Lengths as his Work requires.
1700 Moxon's Mech. Exercises: Bricklayers-wks. 10 Line Pins of Iron, with a length of Line on them about sixty feet in length.
1832 H. Martineau Hill & Valley iii. 37 Cut into lengths like twigs.
1851 Official Descriptive & Illustr. Catal. Great Exhib. II. 328 The structure is in separate lengths, each having an independent spring.
c. slang. A penis; sexual intercourse; so to slip (someone) a length: (of a man) to have sexual intercourse with.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > sex organs > male sex organs > [noun] > penis
weapona1000
tarsec1000
pintleOE
cock?c1335
pillicock?c1335
yard1379
arrowa1382
looma1400
vergea1400
instrumentc1405
fidcocka1475
privya1500
virile member (or yard)?1541
prickc1555
tool1563
pillock1568
penis1578
codpiece1584
needle1592
bauble1593
dildo1597
nag1598
virility1598
ferret1599
rubigo?a1600
Jack1604
mentula1605
virge1608
prependent1610
flute1611
other thing1628
engine1634
manhood1640
cod1650
quillity1653
rammer1653
runnion1655
pego1663
sex1664
propagator1670
membrum virile1672
nervea1680
whore-pipe1684
Roger1689
pudding1693
handle?1731
machine1749
shaft1772
jock1790
poker1811
dickyc1815
Johnny?1833
organ1833
intromittent apparatus1836
root1846
Johnson1863
Peter1870
John Henry1874
dickc1890
dingusc1890
John Thomasc1890
old fellowc1890
Aaron's rod1891
dingle-dangle1893
middle leg1896
mole1896
pisser1896
micky1898
baby-maker1902
old man1902
pecker1902
pizzle1902
willy1905
ding-dong1906
mickey1909
pencil1916
dingbatc1920
plonkerc1920
Johna1922
whangera1922
knob1922
tube1922
ding1926
pee-pee1927
prong1927
pud1927
hose1928
whang1928
dong1930
putz1934
porkc1935
wiener1935
weenie1939
length1949
tadger1949
winkle1951
dinger1953
winky1954
dork1961
virilia1962
rig1964
wee-wee1964
Percy1965
meat tool1966
chopper1967
schlong1967
swipe1967
chode1968
trouser snake1968
ding-a-ling1969
dipstick1970
tonk1970
noonies1972
salami1977
monkey1978
langer1983
wanker1987
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > engage in sexual activity with [verb (transitive)] > have sexual intercourse with > specifically of a man
jape1382
overliec1400
swivec1405
foilc1440
overlay?a1475
bed1548
possess1592
knock1598
to get one's leg over1599
enjoy1602
poke1602
thrum1611
topa1616
riga1625
swingea1640
jerk1650
night-work1654
wimble1656
roger1699
ruta1706
tail1778
to touch up1785
to get into ——c1890
root1922
to knock up1934
lay1934
pump1937
prong1942
nail1948
to slip (someone) a length1949
to knock off1953
thread1958
stuff1960
tup1970
nut1971
pussy1973
service1973
1949 E. Partridge Dict. Slang (ed. 3) Add. 1173/2 Slip (her) a length, to coït with (a woman).
1952 C. MacInnes June in Spring vi. 156 ‘Is it hard to get a job on board a ship without experience?’ ‘Not if you work for nix and don't mind the stokers slipping you a length.’
1968 H. C. Rae Few Small Bones iii. viii. 216 Beefy, randy-arsed wives crying out for a length.
1970 C. Wood Terrible Hard v. 58 Come on, Suggy, you're 'is batman, 'e's never slipped you a crafty length 'as 'e?
12. Theatrical slang. A portion of an actor's part, consisting of forty-two lines.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] > words spoken by actors > specific portion of
length1736
1736 H. Fielding Pasquin i. 1 I have a Part in both too; I wish any one else had them, for they are not seven Lengths put together.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xxiii. 220 I've got a part of twelve lengths here which I must be up in to-morrow night.
1865 Ld. Broughton in Edinb. Rev. 133 293 Kean said [c1815] that ‘Iago was three lengths longer than Othello’. A length is forty-two lines.
13. Brewing. (See quot. 1830.)
ΚΠ
1742 W. Ellis London & Country Brewer (ed. 4) I. 71 It is the common Length I made for that Purpose.
1743 W. Ellis London & Country Brewer (ed. 2) II. 129 In making your Length short, and then making it longer with Small-Beer.
1830 M. Donovan Domest. Econ. I. vi. 159 The copper,..sufficiently large to..boil each of the lengths drawn from the different mashings... By the word lengths the brewer means the quantity of wort drawn off from a certain quantity of malt.
III. Phrases.† 15. in length.† 16. on length.
14. at length.† c. (a) At a distance; (b) in an extended line; tandem-fashion; (c) of a portrait = full length n. 1.
a. To or in the full extent; fully, in full; without curtailment. Also at full, great, some, etc. length. †Rarely, at the length.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > copiousness > [adverb] > at length
longlyOE
large1395
largelya1398
at large1450
at the lengthc1500
at long1565
in huge1608
at full, great, some, etc. length1713
lengthily1787
prolongedly1832
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > copiousness > [adverb] > at length > at great, greater, or greatest length
largierly1536
at full, great, some, etc. length1838
c1500 Sc. Poem Heraldry (Harl. 6149) 30 in F. J. Furnivall Queene Elizabethes Achademy (1869) i. 94 The..most populus, mortal were, wes at thebes, quhiche at linth I did write.
1530 A. Baynton in Palsgr. Introd. 12 Whiche thyng for substantives, he declareth some thyng at the length in his thyrde boke.
a1533 Ld. Berners tr. Arthur of Brytayn (?1560) xlvi. sig. Iiiiiv Whan Arthur had red wel at length these letters.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 16 The Catechismus buke Declairis it at lenth.
1712 J. Swift Proposal for Eng. Tongue 22 The Words pronounced at length, sounded faint and languid.
1713 R. Steele Englishman No. 4. 28 The Fellow talks of Rogue and Rascal at full Length.
1827 T. Jarman Powell's Ess. Learning of Devises (ed. 3) II. 91 Lord Eldon, though he spoke at some length on the other question, did not advert to this.
1838 Trevelyan in Life Macaulay (1876) II. vii. 33 Macaulay gives his impressions at greater length.
1882 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. II. 138 Gardiner spoke at some length respecting the Holy Sacrament.
1886 Athenæum 30 Oct. 559/3 While Australia is described at length, the development of Canada since the Peace is hardly mentioned.
b. After a long time; at or in the end; in the long run. †Also at the length.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > [adverb] > in the end or at last
umbe longeOE
at (the) long runninga1450
at longc1450
at length1525
at the length1525
at (the) long run1607
in the long run1768
in (also on, upon) the long run1814
the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > the end [phrase] > in the end or at last
at lastlOE
at the lastlOE
afinec1325
in the lasta1382
for conclusionc1386
an-endc1390
the lasta1400
in (the) finea1500
at conclusiona1513
in conclusiona1513
at long last1523
at length1525
in (rarely at, upon) the upshot1577
in the final (also last) analysis1786
in the death1958
at the end of the day1974
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Chron. (1812) II. xxiv. 64 They were all withdrawen into the castell, for they knewe well at length the towne wolde nat holde.
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Diii Euer at the length I make hym lese moche of theyr strength.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Mark i. f. 117 To come at the length to highest perfeccion.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. i. sig. A4v At length it brought them to a hollowe caue.
1611 Bible (King James) Prov. xxix. 21 He that delicately bringeth vp his seruant from a child, shall haue him become his sonne at the length . View more context for this quotation
1632 P. Massinger Emperour of East iii. iv. sig. G4v This was the marke I aim'd at, and I glorie At the length, you so conceaue it.
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd iv. 500 Of thy birth at length Announc't by Gabriel with the first I knew. View more context for this quotation
1753 G. Washington Jrnl. in Writings (1889) I. 31 They..pressed for Admittance..which at Length was granted them.
a1777 S. Foote Devil upon Two Sticks (1778) iii. 52 Thou wilt find, at the length,..that the first will do us best service.
1864 Ld. Tennyson Enoch Arden in Enoch Arden, etc. 12 At length she spoke ‘O Enoch, you are wise’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > distance or farness > [adverb]
wideOE
awaya1375
upon farc1380
offc1400
aferroma1425
at length?1611
in distans1645
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > general equipment > [adverb] > in tandem
at length1715
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to subject > [adverb] > of portrait
at length1786
?1611 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliads xv. 503 Now no more Our fight must stand at length [Gk. ἀποσταδόν], but close.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State i. viii. 20 As he is good at hand, so is he good at length.
a1665 K. Digby Jrnl. Voy. to Mediterranean (1868) 60 I had so fitted my selfe that gallies could not hurt mee att length.
1715 London Gaz. No. 5384/10 Drawing any Carriage with more than five Horses at Length.
1786 W. Herbert Ames' Typogr. Antiq. (rev. ed.) II. 1287 A copper-plate portrait of Chaucer, at length, with his pedigree and arms.
d. With the body fully extended, to the full extent of the body or the limbs. Now usually at (one's) full length.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of stretching body > [adverb]
on lengthc1440
at (one's) full length1607
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 23 When they sleepe they lie at length.
1613 S. Purchas Descr. India in Pilgrimage (1864) 7 [They] pray vpon the earth, with their armes and legs at length out.
1668 J. Flavell Saint Indeed 171 The..Serpent..is never seen at his full length till dying.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas II. iv. vi. 129 We..discovered two men stretched at their length in the street.
1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto I xc. 48 He threw Himself at length.
1887 C. Bowen tr. Virgil Eclogues vi, in tr. Virgil in Eng. Verse 39 Laid at his length in a cavern, Silenus slumbering sound.
a. Lengthwise. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > specific directions > [phrase] > transversely and longitudinally > longitudinally
in lengthc1400
c1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 45 If þat a senewe were woundid in lenkþe [Add. MS. in lengþe, L. per longum].
b. To the full length or extent. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > in longitudinal extent [phrase] > to or at full length
at (also in) full length1583
in length1591
1591 H. Savile tr. Tacitus Life Agricola in tr. Tacitus Ende of Nero: Fower Bks. Hist. 259 Agricola..fearing, lest he should be assayled on the front and flanckes both at one instant, displaied his army in length [L. diductis ordinibus].
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 757 Their position runneth all in length.
c. To a long distance; for a long time. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > [adverb] > for a long time
longeOE
longOE
longlyOE
longsomelyOE
yorec1275
lastingly1372
longsa1450
for longa1530
in length1566
with the longest1636
stayingly1648
eternally1664
sometime1801
chronically1854
forever1861
somewhile1864
for the duration1916
long-term1947
secularly1971
1566 T. Blundeville Order curing Horses Dis. f. 60, in Fower Offices Horsemanshippe The Horse wil forsake his meate, and will stande stretching him selfe in length, and neuer couet to lye downe.
1609 Bible (Douay) I. Num. ix. [x.] 5 But if the trumpeting sound in length and with a broken tune [L. si autem prolixior atque concisus clangor increpuerit].
a. At length, finally. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
c893 tr. Orosius Hist. iii. xi. §3 On lengðe mid him he begeat ealle þa eastlond.
c1220 Bestiary 552 Wo so listneð deueles lore, on lengðe it sal him rewen sore.
b. To a distance, away. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > distance or farness > [adverb] > at or to a distance
ferrenc888
farc900
longOE
afarc1300
yond13..
on length1340
alonga1382
adreigha1393
on dreicha1400
afar offc1400
far-aboutc1450
alengtha1500
distantlya1500
remote1589
remotely1609
yferrea1643
out of his (her, its, etc.) way1650
adistance1807
away1818
way1833
way1833
way off1836
way out1840
1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 7946 Þe lyght of þe son..May fleghe fra þe est tylle þe west on lenthe.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 1231 My lorde & his ledeȝ ar on lenþe faren.
a1475 Bk. Curtasye (Sloane 1986) l. 188 in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 304 Fro stryf and bate draw þe on lengþe.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 8179 Tristly may Troiell tote ouer the walle, And loke vpon lenght, er his loue come.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 13561 Fowle folowet the hert, Thurgh the londes on lenght.
c. To the full extent of the body. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > posture > action or fact of stretching body > [adverb]
on lengthc1440
at (one's) full length1607
c1440 York Myst. xxxvi. 379 Laie hym on lenthe on þis lande.
1532 (c1385) Usk's Test. Loue in Wks. G. Chaucer ii. f. cccl She streyght her on length and rested a whyle.
17. †to draw (out) in, into, at, or on length: to prolong, protract; rarely with personal obj. = to delay, prolong the stay of (obsolete). Now only to draw out to a great, etc. length.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (transitive)] > cause to endure, sustain, or prolong
lengOE
drawOE
teec1200
forlengtha1300
lengtha1300
drivec1300
tarryc1320
proloynec1350
continuec1380
to draw alonga1382
longa1382
dretch1393
conservea1398
to draw (out) in, into, at, or on lengtha1400
prorogue1419
prolongc1425
aroomc1440
prorogate?a1475
protend?a1475
dilate1489
forlong1496
relong1523
to draw out1542
sustentate1542
linger1543
defer1546
pertract1548
propagate1548
protract1548
linger1550
lengthen1555
train1556
detract?a1562
to make forth (long, longer)1565
stretch1568
extend1574
extenuate1583
dree1584
wire-draw1598
to spin out1603
trail1604
disabridge1605
produce1605
continuate1611
out-length1617
spin1629
to eke out1641
producta1670
prolongate1671
drawl1694
drag1697
perennate1698
string1867
perennialize1898
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 5806 He sal me drau wit lite and lenth [Gött. lith and lenkith, Trin. Cambr. drawe forþ on lengþe].
c1480 (a1400) St. Placidus 9 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 69 Men cesis..to spedful pennance to begyne, bot drawis It erare in to lynth, til of his body falȝeis strinth.
1483 Cath. Angl. 107/1 To Drawe on longe or on lenght, crastinare, prolongare, differre.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus Ambages,—a circuite of woordes, a tale drawen in length.
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie ii. xiii. 101 A sound is drawen at length either by the infirmitie of the toung [etc.].
1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iii. ii. 23 I speake too long, but tis to peize the time..and to draw it out in length, To stay you from election. View more context for this quotation
1611 Bible (King James) Psalms xxxvi. 10 O continue [margin. draw out at length] thy louing kindnesse vnto them. View more context for this quotation
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Alonger, to..draw out in length.
a1713 T. Ellwood Hist. Life (1714) 30 I Prayed often, and drew out my Prayers to a great length.
1787 T. Jefferson Writings (1859) II. 191 They will draw their negotiations into length.
1893 Temple Bar Sept. 68 Breakfast was drawn out to a most unusual length.
18. to drag one’s slow length along and variants: to move or progress very slowly, to be unnecessarily drawn out.With allusion to Pope's use in quot. 1711.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > move or go slowly [verb (intransitive)]
creepc1175
lugc1400
to hold (also keep) foot withc1438
crawlc1460
lounge?a1513
slug1565
drawl1566
draggle1577
fodge1581
snail1582
laggerc1620
slagger1622
snail1628
flod1674
delay1690
to drag one’s slow length along1711
soss1711
loiter1728
trail1744
sidle1781
soodle1821
linger1826
ooze1847
slope1851
laggard1864
dawdle1872
tiddle1882
oozle1958
pootle1973
1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 22 A needless Alexandrine..That like a wounded Snake, drags its slow Length along.
1788 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall IV. 192 The slow length of a sickly and desponding host was heavily dragged along the Flaminian way.
1856 N. Brit. Rev. 26 269 Three, four, and five years did cases drag their slow length along.
1868 J. S. Mill Eng. & Ireland 36 This great undertaking must not drag its slow length through generations.
2013 Sunday Tel. (Nexis) 10 Feb. 39 Having spent at least a couple of hours uncomfortably seated in a plane,..you join a queue that drags its slow length along for another mind-numbing period.
Compounds
attributive and in other combinations.† length compass n. Obsolete ? a ship's ‘log’ (see quot.).† length keeping n. Archery Obsolete (see sense 7).
length ball n. Cricket a ball pitched a ‘length’ (see sense 10).
ΚΠ
1833 J. Nyren Young Cricketer's Tutor 18 The reaching in to stop a length-ball will prevent it from rising, or twisting.
1851 J. Pycroft Cricket Field vii. 99 All balls that can be bowled are reducible to ‘length balls’ and ‘not lengths’.
ΚΠ
a1649 W. Drummond Wks. (1711) 235 Instrumentum quoddam, quo itineris marini quantitas exacte supputatur, & longitudinis locorum differentiæ..Μηκοδείκτης, vulgo leLength Compass appellatur.
ΚΠ
1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus ii. f. 34 Howe muche it [sc. the wynde] wyll alter his shoote, eyther in lengthe kepynge, or els in streyght shotynge.
lengthman n. a man appointed to maintain a certain stretch of road or railway; (the form lengthsman in quot. 1902 is an isolated use).
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > rail travel > railway worker > [noun] > track maintenance workers
gangman1830
platelayer1836
wayman1840
surfaceman1845
lineman1858
track-layera1861
track-man1881
linesman1883
track-walker1890
lengthman1902
underman1921
gandy dancer1923
snake1929
fluffer1956
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > builder > [noun] > builders or maintainers of roads
waymaker?c1475
roadman1788
road-maker1792
path master1799
roadsman?1807
Macadamite1821
macadamizer1824
road breaker1834
grader1870
asphalter1880
linesman1888
lengthman1902
highway patrol1909
1902 Times 22 Sept. 2/5 Every lengthsman or fettler on the Government railway gets 8s. a day for eight hours' work.
1921 Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §577 Lengthman,..an underman in a gang engaged on maintenance of a specific section..of permanent way.
1959 New Scientist 16 Apr. 852/1 The mixed plant community was largely maintained by..the regular cutting with scythe and sickle by..the County Council ‘lengthmen’.
1968 Telegraph (Brisbane) 3 June 18/1 Our legislators should modernise transport for railway lengthmen.
1970 East Anglian Daily Times 31 Aug. 4/5 In days of cheaper labour many county council roadmen known as ‘lengthmen’ were each responsible for the maintenance of a limited number of miles of road in which they took great pride and knew all the peculiarities.
1971 Times 8 Apr. 15/3 An old man who lived at Spelbrook... His home was..the lengthman's cottage.
1972 L. Lamb Pict. Frame xviii. 157 A road (or ‘length’) man, with broom and shovel strapped to his bicycle cross-bar.
Draft additions 1997
Mathematics. In graph theory, the number of edges in an edge sequence; also more generally, the number of components in any connected sequence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > graph or diagram > [noun] > graph > other
hockey stick1843
curve fitting1895
demand curve1936
zero crossing1941
matching1955
length1959
error bar1968
1959 Sociometry 22 143 The matrix M contains all these paths and also a path of length l from each point to itself.
1962 O. Ore Theory of Graphs ii. 23 When S has both an initial vertex a0 and a terminal vertex an we can write S = S(a0, an) and call a0 and an the endpoints of S. We also say that S is an edge sequence of length n connecting a0 and an.
1965 J. J. Rotman Theory of Groups iii. 32 α is an r-cycle. We also say that α is a cycle of length r.
1969 F. Harary Graph Theory ii. 13 A walk of a graph G is an alternating sequence of points and lines..beginning and ending with points... The length of a walk..is..the number of occurrences of lines in it.
1979 Proc. London Math. Soc. 38 445 A path in a graph is to be regarded as a subgraph with a distinguished end (the initial vertex) rather than a sequence of vertices; it has at least one vertex, and no ‘repeated’ vertices. Its length is the number of edges in it.
1990 Glasgow Math. Jrnl. 32 267 Thus there is a series of finite length in G whose infinite factors are either cyclic or quasicyclic.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
† lengthv.
Obsolete.
1. transitive. To lengthen, prolong.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (transitive)] > cause to endure, sustain, or prolong
lengOE
drawOE
teec1200
forlengtha1300
lengtha1300
drivec1300
tarryc1320
proloynec1350
continuec1380
to draw alonga1382
longa1382
dretch1393
conservea1398
to draw (out) in, into, at, or on lengtha1400
prorogue1419
prolongc1425
aroomc1440
prorogate?a1475
protend?a1475
dilate1489
forlong1496
relong1523
to draw out1542
sustentate1542
linger1543
defer1546
pertract1548
propagate1548
protract1548
linger1550
lengthen1555
train1556
detract?a1562
to make forth (long, longer)1565
stretch1568
extend1574
extenuate1583
dree1584
wire-draw1598
to spin out1603
trail1604
disabridge1605
produce1605
continuate1611
out-length1617
spin1629
to eke out1641
producta1670
prolongate1671
drawl1694
drag1697
perennate1698
string1867
perennialize1898
a1300 Cursor Mundi 28850 Almus..it lenkithes man in life to lende.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 4353 Lengþeþ now my lif for loue of heuene king.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xxi. 53 And beden hym drynke Hus deþ to lette and hus dayes lengthen.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) l. 21099 He soȝte þate estern thede..And þare he lenþid his sarmun, Bituix and til his passiune.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 5400 Now haue we noght ware-wit we mai Lenght our liue wit fra þis dai.
a1450 Story Alexander in Alexander (1886) 281 Howe might a man make other mennes liues euerlastyng whan he may not lennthe hys awne life one houre?
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 196 Lengthe þou þe handyl of þi penauns wyth þis iiij. spanne of lengthe, þat is, of restitucyoun.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid ii. xi. [x.] 139 Gif goddis likit lynth my life langer space.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 606/1 I length a thyng, I make it longer, je alongis.
1610 S. Daniel Tethys Festival F 3 b When your eyes haue done their part, Thought must length it in the hart.
c1614 W. Mure tr. Virgil Dido & Æneas ii. in Wks. (1898) I. 472 A rod he bears, by which he..Lenthes and abridges life, as he desires.
1622 J. Taylor Water-cormorant in Wks. (1630) iii. 5/2 Drinke was ordain'd to length mans fainting breath.
2. intransitive. To become longer.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > have duration [verb (intransitive)] > grow longer or extend
longOE
reacha1325
lengthc1400
prolong1449
stretcha1616
pretend1655
to spin out1720
c1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 74 In þat tyme þe nyght lenghthys, þe days shorten.
1574 W. Bourne Regim. for Sea (1577) Introd. C ij b The day dooth..length and short according unto the swiftnesse and slownesse of the Sunnes declination.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.c893
v.a1300- root affection
- root and branch
- root and branch bill
- root and branch party
- root and branch petition
- root and branch policy
- root and branch reform
- root and brancher
- root and more
- root and rind
- root aorist
- root ball
- root bark
- root beer
- root beetle
- root boat
- root bound
- root bread
- root bud
- root canal
- root cap
- root cause
- root cellar
- root centre
- root character