# mile

/ˈmaɪɫ/ (US) · /mˈaɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mile
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. unit of distance

noun · CEFR A1

a unit for measuring distance used in the US and UK, equal to 1,760 yards or about 1.6 kilometres.

For teachers: a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems, precisely equal to 1.609344 kilometres.

- The nearest petrol station is about five miles down this road.
- The marathon course was marked every mile to help the professional runners pace their final sprint toward the finish line.

### 2. a long distance

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a very long distance, often used when you are exaggerating.

For teachers: a figurative or hyperbolic reference to a great distance or a significant margin.

- I'm not walking to the shops in this rain; it's miles away.
- The quality of the prototype was miles ahead of the competition, leaving the other manufacturers scrambling to catch up.

### 3. sporting race

noun · CEFR B2

a race that is one mile long.

For teachers: a middle-distance track and field event covering the distance of one mile.

- He trained for months to run the mile in under five minutes.
- Breaking the four-minute barrier in the mile remains one of the most iconic achievements in the history of middle-distance running.

### 4. frequent flyer points

noun · CEFR B1

points you collect when you fly with an airline, which you can use for free flights later.

For teachers: a unit of credit in a frequent flyer programme, typically based on the distance flown.

- I have enough miles saved up to fly to Japan for free this summer.
- Business travellers often choose their carriers based on which loyalty programme allows them to accrue the most miles for international upgrades.

### 5. Scandinavian unit

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect

a unit of distance used in Sweden and Norway equal to 10 kilometres.

For teachers: a unit of length used in Norway and Sweden, standardised as exactly 10 kilometres.

- In Sweden, people often say 'one mile' to mean ten kilometres.
- The Scandinavian mile, or mil, was redefined in the nineteenth century to align with the metric system while retaining its traditional name.

## Examples

- The nearest gas station is about one mile away.
- We walked for a mile along the beach before finding a good spot for our picnic.
- Although the country officially adopted the metric system decades ago, local residents still measure the distance between villages in miles and describe fuel efficiency in miles per gallon.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.