light yearn.
/ˈlʌɪt jɪə/, /ˈlʌɪt jəː/, U.S. /ˈlaɪt ˌjɪ(ə)r/ 1. Astronomy. A unit of astronomical distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in a vacuum in 365¼ days.Approximately equal to 9.46 × 1012 km (5.88 × 1012 miles).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [noun] > units of length or distance > other units of distance travelled
minute1850
light year1864
1864 Monthly Notices Royal Astron. Soc. 24 71 The Absolute Parallax of 21258 Lalande, 0″.2709 ± 0″.0112 corresponding to a distance of 761000 ± 3200 times that of the Sun = 12.01 ± 0.50 light-years.
1890 C. A. Young Elem. Astron. xii. §433 It is better, and now usual, to take as the unit of stellar distance the so-called ‘light year’; i.e. the distance light travels in a year, which is about 63,000 times the distance of the earth from the sun.
1957 I. Asimov Naked Sun (1958) i. 22 That..momentary transition through hyperspace that transferred a ship and all it contained from one point in space to another, light-years away.
1962 F. I. Ordway et al. Basic Astronautics vi. 289 (caption) Known stars within five parsecs (16½ light years) of the Sun.
2017 Guardian (Nexis) 19 Apr. (Science section) Last year, astronomers raised the prospect of life on Proxima b, a planet circling our nearest star a mere four light years away.
2. figurative. An indefinitely great distance. Also: an indefinitely long time. Usually in plural and often modifying an adjective, adverb, or prepositional phrase.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > [noun] > a long distance
world1619
a far cry1819
long shot1867
light year1929
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
1929 Evening Sun (Baltimore) 28 Mar. 29/5 Us who are countless light-years removed from the world of painters, sculptors and etchers.
1930 R. Graves But it still goes On 181 The earth created itself several billion light-years ago, the universe created itself several billion light-years cubed ago.
1939 C. Lee How to enjoy Reading vi. 245 Its ivory-towerness is light years more remote than the eagle's nest of Berchtesgaden.
1957 N. Mailer Let. 30 Dec. in New Yorker 6 Oct. 56/2 My ambitions seem far beyond my talents, and light-years beyond the vicissitudes of my character.
1990 Country Homes June 104/2 Dinnington may only be a mile downhill from Hinton, but its fête..is a light year down market.
1997 S. Ramer Joy of Trek ix. 179 Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of saying ‘It would take light-years to get there.’ This will show that you are a science moron.
2011 Independent 8 Aug. (Viewspaper section) 6/2 I am aware that the current leadership of the Metropolitan Police is light years ahead..from the Metropolitan Police that I used to march and demonstrate against in the Eighties.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021).
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n.1864