marathon
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a long-distance running race that is exactly 42.195 kilometres (about 26 miles) long.
n.a long-distance road race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres.
Simple“She trained for six months before she finally ran her first marathon.”
In context“Elite runners from across the globe gathered for the Boston Marathon, hoping to break the course record under ideal weather conditions.”
Synonymslong distance raceAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.any activity that lasts a long time and needs a lot of energy or patience.
n.any contest, event, or task that is notably long in duration and requires exceptional endurance.
Simple“The final negotiation was a ten-hour marathon that left everyone exhausted.”
In context“The coding session turned into a forty-eight-hour marathon as the developers scrambled to patch the security vulnerability before the product launch.”
Synonymsendurance testslog - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to watch many episodes of a TV show or several movies in a row.
v.to consume a large volume of media content, such as a television series or film franchise, in a single continuous session.
Simple“We decided to marathon the entire trilogy on Saturday afternoon.”
In context“During the holiday break, they opted to marathon the complete series, finishing all five seasons in less than a week.”
UsageOften used transitively with a TV show or film series as the direct object.
Synonymsbinge watch
Usage marathons in days
“The singer-songwriter’s performance at the Old Bookbinders is part of a marathon effort to play a gig every day this year.”
“But after running the New York marathon, she got injured.”
From Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn). Doublet of marathon.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.