length

length
/leNT/ noun
1 SIZE (C, U) the measurement of something from one end to the other
(+ of): The fish can grow to a length of four feet. | 2 feet in length/10 metres in length etc: Vehicles of over 3 metres in length pay an additional toll. | pieces of string of different lengths -compare breadth, width
2 TIME (C, U) the amount of time that you spend doing something or that something continues for: reducing the average length of stay in hospital | not for any length of time (=not for very long): I didn't want to be left alone with him for any length of time.
3 BOOKS/FILMS ETC (C, U) the amount of writing in a book, or the amount of time that a film, play etc continues for: We had to cut the length of the book by two-thirds. | Films of this length are pretty unusual.
4 go to any lengths/great lengths to do sth to be willing to use any methods to achieve something that you are very determined to achieve: Gerald is prepared to go to any lengths to get his daughter back.
5 at length
a) if you talk at length about something, you talk about it for a long time: We've already discussed the subject at great length in previous meetings.
b) literary after a long time: "How have you been?" she said at length.
6 the length and breadth of in or through every part of a large area
7 walk/travel/drive the length of walk, travel etc the whole distance along something: They walked the length of the pier.
8 PIECE (C) a piece of something long and thin
(+ of): a length of steel tubing
9 IN RACES (C) the measurement from one end of a horse, boat etc to the other, used when saying how far one is ahead of another: The horse won by three lengths.
10 SWIMMING (C) the distance from one end of a swimming pool to the other: I was really bad at swimming - I could barely do a length.
-see also: at arm's length arm 1 (10), full-length[ref] 1, measure your length [ref]measure 2 (5), shoulder-length

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • length — W2S2 [leŋθ] n ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(size)¦ 2¦(time)¦ 3¦(books/films etc)¦ 4 run/stretch/walk etc the (full) length of something 5 shoulder length/knee length etc 6 go to some/great/any lengths (to do something) 7 at (some/great etc) length 8 the length and… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • length — [ leŋθ ] noun *** 1. ) count or uncount a measurement of how long something is in size: Cut the cloth to the required length. This beautiful bird is small, with a total length of about three inches. The length of your swimming pool is not… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Length — is the long dimension of any object. The length of a thing is the distance between its ends, its linear extent as measured from end to end. This may be distinguished from height, which is vertical extent, and width or breadth, which are the… …   Wikipedia

  • Length — (l[e^]ngth), n. [OE. lengthe, AS. leng[eth], fr. lang, long, long; akin to D. lengte, Dan. l[ae]ngde, Sw. l[ a]ngd, Icel. lengd. See {Long}, a. ] 1. The longest, or longer, dimension of any object, in distinction from {breadth} or {width}; extent …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • length — [leŋkth, leŋth] n. [ME < OE lengthu < base of lang, LONG1 + TH1] 1. the measure of how long a thing is; measurement of anything from end to end; the greatest of the two or three dimensions of anything 2. extent in space; distance anything… …   English World dictionary

  • length — length; length·en; length·en·er; length·ful; length·i·ly; length·i·ness; length·ways; …   English syllables

  • length´i|ly — length|y «LEHNGK thee, LEHNG », adjective, length|i|er, length|i|est. 1. a) having unusually great length; long. b) (of speeches, a speaker, a writer, or the like) too long; long winded; tedious: »His directions were so le …   Useful english dictionary

  • length|y — «LEHNGK thee, LEHNG », adjective, length|i|er, length|i|est. 1. a) having unusually great length; long. b) (of speeches, a speaker, a writer, or the like) too long; long winded; tedious: »His directions were so le …   Useful english dictionary

  • length — ► NOUN 1) the measurement or extent of something from end to end; the greater or greatest of two or more dimensions of a body. 2) the amount of time occupied by something. 3) the quality of being long. 4) the full distance that a thing extends… …   English terms dictionary

  • -length — [leŋkth, leŋth] combining form forming adjectives of a (specified) length, of such length as to reach a (specified) point or part [full length] * * * …   Universalium

  • -length — [leŋkth, leŋth] combining form forming adjectives of a (specified) length, of such length as to reach a (specified) point or part [full length] …   English World dictionary

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