- 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.
- 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.
- the possession of four or more than four cards in a given suit.
- 42 lines of an acting part.
- at length,
- in or to the full extent; completely.
- after a time; finally: At length there was a step forward in the negotiations.
- to disregard any impediment that could prevent one from accomplishing one's purpose: He would go to any lengths to get his own way.
- arm1 (def. 17).
- 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
- a specified distance, esp between two positions or locations
- 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 piece or section of something narrow and long
- the quality, state, or fact of being long rather than short
- the amount of trouble taken in pursuing or achieving something (esp in the phrase to great lengths)
- 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
- 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
- the distance from the batsman at which the ball pitches
- a holding of four or more cards in a suit
- the general idea; the main purpose
- at length
- in depth; fully
- eventually
- for a long time; interminably