length

noun

• 1the measurement or extent of something from end to end; the greater of two or the greatest of three dimensions of a body:it can reach over two feet in length the length of the airport terminal
• the amount of time occupied by something:delivery must be within a reasonable length of time
• the quality of being long:the length of the waiting list
• the full distance that a thing extends for:the muscles running the length of my spine
• the extent of a garment in a vertical direction when worn:the length of her skirt
• Prosody & Phonetics the metrical quantity or duration of a vowel or syllable.

• 2the extent of something, especially as a unit of measurement, in particular.
• the length of a swimming pool as a measure of the distance swum:fifty lengths of the pool
• the length of a horse, boat, etc., as a measure of the lead in a race:the mare won the race last year by seven lengths
• (one's length) the full extent of one’s body:he awkwardly lowered his length into the small car

• 3(in bridge or whist) the number of cards of a suit held in one’s hand, especially when five or more.

• 4a stretch or piece of something:a stout length of wood

• 5a degree or extreme to which a course of action is taken:they go to great lengths to avoid the press