length
- 01 A2 Elementary
the distance from one end of something to the other.
the measurement of the longest dimension of an object or the distance between two points.
Simple“The length of the table is two metres, so it should fit in the kitchen.”
In context“The architect carefully calculated the length of the structural beams to ensure they could span the entire width of the hall without central support.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
the amount of time that something lasts.
the duration or period of time occupied by an event or state.
Simple“The length of the movie was three hours, which felt a bit too long.”
In context“The total length of the internship is six months, providing students with sufficient time to gain meaningful professional experience.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
a piece of something long, like rope, wood, or cloth.
a specific piece or section of a material that is typically sold or measured by its long dimension.
Simple“He cut a short length of rope to tie the gate shut.”
In context“The plumber replaced a damaged length of copper piping that had begun to leak behind the bathroom wall.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
the distance from one end of a swimming pool to the other.
the distance from one end of a swimming pool to the other, used as a unit of measurement for exercise.
Simple“She swims twenty lengths every morning before she goes to work.”
In context“After completing fifty lengths of the Olympic-sized pool, the athlete focused on improving his turn technique for the upcoming competition.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
the distance equal to the length of a horse or boat in a race.
a unit of measurement in racing equivalent to the length of the animal or vehicle being raced.
Simple“The horse won the race by two lengths in a very exciting finish.”
In context“Despite a slow start, the rowing crew managed to pull ahead and win the regatta by a clear length.”
Usage considerable length · increased length · maximum length
From Middle English lengthe, from Old English lengþ, lengþu, from Proto-West Germanic langiþu, from Proto-Germanic langiþō, equivalent to long + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots lenth, lainth (“length”), Saterland Frisian Loangte (“length”), West Frisian lingte, langte (“length”), Dutch lengte (“length”), German Low German Längde, Längd, Längte, Längt (“length”), Danish længde (“length”), Swedish längd (“length”), Icelandic lengd (“length”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.