length

noun

UK /leŋθ/

Word Forms

singular	length
plural	lengths

1
countable/uncountable 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 important.
of equal/unequal length:
Use two planks of unequal length.
in length:
The boat was 16 feet in length.
Synonyms and related words
Length, width and depth
length
width
depth
1. 1a
  a measurement of how long something is in time
  The length of your talk must be at least 10 minutes.
  The average length of stay in hospital is three days.
  length of time:
  You can adjust the length of time that the light remains on.
  for any length of time (=for a long period of time):
  When standing for any length of time, remember to flex your knees.
  Synonyms and related words
  General words relating to frequency and duration
  frequency
  rate
  irregularity
2. 1b
  a measurement of how big a book or piece of writing is
  His latest novel is twice the length of his previous one.
  Synonyms and related words
  Units for measuring length or width
  bore
  centimeter
  centimetre
2
countable usually singularthe distance from one end of something to the other
Carter ran half the length of the pitch to score a brilliant goal.
along something’s length:
The pier was lit up along its entire length.
run the length of something (=go from one end to the other):
A proposed tourist trail will run the length of the river.
Synonyms and related words
Length, width and depth
length
width
depth
1. 2a
  the distance from one end of a swimming pool to the other. The distance from one side of a swimming pool to the other is a width.
  Synonyms and related words
  Swimming pools and swimming and diving equipment
  aqualung
  armband
  diving bell
3
countable a piece of something that is long and thin
a length of pipe/rope/string
Synonyms and related words
Long and thin objects
line
strip
stick
4
countable a measure of how far one car, horse etc is in front of another in a race, usually equal to the length of one car, horse etc
He still managed to finish seven lengths ahead of the rest.
Synonyms and related words
Races and racing
ahead
a poor second
baton

phrases

at length

at (great/some) length

go to great/extreme/any etc lengths

the length and breadth of something

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length

length