length

[ lengkth, length, lenth ]

/ lɛŋkθ, lɛŋθ, lɛnθ /

noun

the longest extent of anything as measured from end to end: the length of a river.

the 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.

Clothing. the 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.

Prosody, Phonetics.

(of a vowel or syllable) quantity, whether long or short.
the quality of vowels.

Bridge. the possession of four or more than four cards in a given suit.

Theater Archaic. 42 lines of an acting part.

Idioms for length

at length,

in or to the full extent; completely.
after a time; finally: At length there was a step forward in the negotiations.

go to any length/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.

keep at arm's length. arm¹(def 16).

Origin of length

before 900; Middle English length(e), Old English lengthu; cognate with Dutch lengte, Old Norse lengd. See long¹, -th¹

SYNONYMS FOR length

1 span, stretch, reach, scope, measure.

Words nearby length

lender of last resort, lending library, lendl, lenexa, lenglen, length, length between perpendiculars, length over all, lengthen, lengthman, lengthways

British Dictionary definitions for go to any length

length

/ (lɛŋkθ, lɛŋθ) /

noun

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)

prosody phonetics 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 (def. 4)

prosody 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

cricket the distance from the batsman at which the ball pitches

bridge a holding of four or more cards in a suit

NZ informal the general idea; the main purpose

at length

in depth; fully
eventually
for a long time; interminably

Word Origin for length

Old English lengthu; related to Middle Dutch lengede, Old Norse lengd

Medical definitions for go to any length

length

[ lĕngkth, lĕngth, lĕnth ]

n.

The linear distance between two points.

Idioms and Phrases with go to any length (1 of 2)

go to any length

Also, go to great lengths. Take a great deal of trouble for something, go to extremes. For example, He'll go to great lengths to make a perfect chocolate cake, or, as Benjamin Disraeli put it in Coningsby (1844): “He would go ... [to] any lengths for his party.”

Idioms and Phrases with go to any length (2 of 2)

length

see at arm's length; at length; go to any length.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

length

noun

Idioms for length

Origin of length

SYNONYMS FOR length

Words nearby length

British Dictionary definitions for go to any length

noun

Word Origin for length

Medical definitions for go to any length

n.

Idioms and Phrases with go to any length (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with go to any length (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

length

noun

Idioms for length

Origin of length

SYNONYMS FOR length

Words nearby length

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noun

Word Origin for length

Medical definitions for go to any length

n.

Idioms and Phrases with go to any length (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with go to any length (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for go to any length