释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024length /lɛŋkθ, lɛnθ/USA pronunciation n. - the longest extent of anything as measured from end to end:[uncountable]The length of the yard was three hundred feet.
- extent from beginning to end of a series, account, book, etc.:[uncountable]a novel 300 pages in length.
- extent in time;
amount of time something lasts; duration:[uncountable]the length of a visit. - a distance figured by the extent of something specified:[countable]Hold the picture at arm's length.
- a piece or portion of a certain or a known amount or distance measured:[countable]He cut off a length of rope.
- the quality or state of being long rather than short:[uncountable]a journey remarkable for its length.
- Usually, lengths. [plural] the extent to which one would go to reach or accomplish a desired end:to go to great lengths to get what one wants.
Idioms- Idioms at length:
- after a considerable time;
finally:He ran for most of the morning; at length he stopped. - fully;
in detail:went on at length about her family.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024length (lengkth, length, lenth),USA pronunciation n. - the longest extent of anything as measured from end to end:the length of a river.
- Weights and Measuresthe measure of the greatest dimension of a plane or solid figure.
- extent from beginning to end of a series, enumeration, account, book, etc.:a report running 300 pages in length.
- extent in time;
duration:the length of a battle. - a distance determined by the extent of something specified:Hold the picture at arm's length.
- a piece or portion of a certain or a known extent:a length of rope.
- the quality or state of being long rather than short:a journey remarkable for its length.
- the extent to which a person might or would go in pursuing something:He went to great lengths to get what he wanted.
- a large extent or expanse of something.
- the measure from end to end of a horse, boat, etc., as a unit of distance in racing:The horse won by two lengths.
- Clothingthe 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.
- Phonetics, Poetry[Pros., Phonet.]
- Phonetics(of a vowel or syllable) quantity, whether long or short.
- Phoneticsthe quality of vowels.
- [Bridge.]the possession of four or more than four cards in a given suit.
- Show Business[Theat. Archaic.]42 lines of an acting part.
- Idioms at length:
- in or to the full extent;
completely. - after a time;
finally:At length there was a step forward in the negotiations.
- Idioms go to any length or 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.
- Idioms keep at arm's length. See arm 1 (def. 16).
- bef. 900; Middle English length(e), Old English lengthu; cognate with Dutch lengte, Old Norse lengd. See long1, -th1
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged span, stretch, reach, scope, measure.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: length /lɛŋkθ; lɛŋθ/ n - the linear extent or measurement of something from end to end, usually being the longest dimension or, for something fixed, the longest horizontal dimension
- 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
- a specified distance, esp between two positions or locations: the length of a race
- a period of time, as between specified limits or moments
- 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
- a piece or section of something narrow and long: a length of tubing
- the quality, state, or fact of being long rather than short
- (usually plural) the amount of trouble taken in pursuing or achieving something (esp in the phrase to great lengths)
- (often plural) the extreme or limit of action (in phrases such as to any length(s), to what length(s) would someone go, etc)
- the metrical quantity or temporal duration of a vowel or syllable
- the distance from one end of a rectangular swimming bath to the other
Compare width - 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
- at length ⇒ in depth; fully
- eventually
- for a long time; interminably
Etymology: Old English lengthu; related to Middle Dutch lengede, Old Norse lengd |