Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Length"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Length \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 of anything from
end to end; the longest line which can be drawn through a
body, parallel to its sides; as, the length of a church,
or of a ship; the length of a rope or line.
2. A portion of space or of time considered as measured by
its length; -- often in the plural.
Large lengths of seas and shores. --Shak.
The future but a length behind the past. --Dryden.
3. The quality or state of being long, in space or time;
extent; duration; as, some sea birds are remarkable for
the length of their wings; he was tired by the length of
the sermon, and the length of his walk.
4. A single piece or subdivision of a series, or of a number
of long pieces which may be connected together; as, a
length of pipe; a length of fence.
5. Detail or amplification; unfolding; continuance as, to
pursue a subject to a great length.
May Heaven, great monarch, still augment your bliss
With length of days, and every day like this.
--Dryden.
6. Distance.[Obs.]
He had marched to the length of Exeter. --Clarendon.
{At length}.
(a) At or in the full extent; without abbreviation; as,
let the name be inserted at length.
(b) At the end or conclusion; after a long period. See
Syn. of At last, under {Last}.
{At arm's length}. See under {Arm}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Length \Length\, v. t.
To lengthen. [Obs.] --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
length
n 1: the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the
longest horizontal dimension of something that is fixed
in place; "the length of the table was 5 feet"
2: continuance in time; "the ceremony was of short duration";
"he complained about the length of time required" [syn: {duration}]
3: the property of being the extent of something from beginning
to end; "the editor limited the length of my article to
500 words"
4: size of the gap between two places; "the distance from New
York to Chicago"; "he determined the length of the
shortest line segment joining the two points" [syn: {distance}]
5: a section of something that is long and narrow; "a length of
timber"; "a length of tubing"
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