WordGarden.iolength
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɛŋθ/
US
- /ˈlɛŋkθ/
Meanings
Noun
the measurement of how long something is from one end to the other
the amount of time something lasts
the extent, degree, or amount to which something reaches
More meaningsFewer meanings
a piece or section of something measured or cut to a certain long size
a unit or margin of distance in racing or swimming
the number of characters, items, or units in a data value or structure
Beyond the definition
Length is often about how far something goes from one end to the other. Think of a race: it tells you how far the runners must go. But it is not only about physical size. It can also describe how long something lasts, like the length of a movie, or how much of something there is, like the length of a discussion. A short story has less length than a long novel. You might measure the length of a room with a tape measure, but you might also talk about the length of a wait in traffic.
The word "length" most commonly refers to the measurement of something from one end to the other. Think of a table, a rope, or a road: it tells us how far it goes in one direction. We use units like inches, feet, meters, or miles to talk about it. You might say, "The river has a length of over 300 miles," or "Can you measure the length of this board?"
But the idea does not stop with physical things. "Length" can also describe duration, meaning how long something continues in time. "The length of the concert was two hours," or "The meeting went on for such a length of time that everyone felt tired."
It can also refer to extent or degree in a more abstract way. If you say, "She went to great lengths to help her friend," you mean she made a big effort. If you talk about "the length of his explanation," you mean it was very long and perhaps more detailed than people wanted.
The word appears in many everyday situations. In clothing, the length of a skirt, coat, or pair of pants matters for fit and style. In music, a song's length affects where it fits on a playlist or radio show. In writing, the length of a story or article changes how much space it has to develop its ideas.
So whether you are measuring a room, timing an event, or describing how much effort someone made, "length" helps express distance, duration, or extent from beginning to end.
Examples
- 1
Garden size
The garden is about 20 meters in length.
- 2
Furniture measurement
We measured the length of the table before buying a cloth.
- 3
Movie duration
The length of the movie surprised me; it was almost three hours.
- 4
Answer limit
Please keep your answer to a reasonable length.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Clothing sizes
The store sells dresses in three lengths: short, midi, and long.
- 6
Cut material
Cut two equal lengths of string for the package.
- Patterna length of string/rope/fabric
one piece cut from a longer piece
- 7
Full distance
They walked the length of the beach before lunch.
- Patternthe length of + place/object
all the way from one end to the other
- 8
Detailed explanation
At length, she explained why the plan had failed.
- Phraseat length
for a long time and in detail
- 9
Strong effort
He went to great lengths to keep the surprise secret.
- Phrasego to great lengths
make a lot of effort
- 10
Online boundaries
Keep strangers at arm's length online.
- Phrasekeep someone at arm's length
avoid becoming too close to them
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- lengthnoun
Forms
- lengthspluralnoun