1 [mass noun] the measurement or extent of something from end to end; the greater of two or the greatest of three dimensions of an object:the delta is twenty kilometres in length [count noun]:the fish reaches a length of 10 inches
the quality of being long:the length of the waiting list
[count noun] the length of a swimming pool as a measure of the distance swum:fifty lengths of the pool
[count noun] the length of a horse, boat, etc., as a measure of the lead in a race:the mare won the race by seven lengths
the extent of a garment in a vertical direction when worn:the length of her skirt
the full distance that a thing extends for:the muscles running the length of my spine
(one's length) the full extent of one’s body:he awkwardly lowered his length into the small car
Prosody & Phonetics the metrical quantity or duration of a vowel or syllable:the length of the syllable is isomorphic with the length of the syllabic vowel
2the amount of time occupied by something:delivery must be within a reasonable length of time
3a piece or stretch of something:a length of brown satinthe surviving length of track
4an extreme to which a course of action is taken:they go to great lengths to avoid the press
5 Cricket the distance from the batsman at which a well-bowled ball pitches:Lewis tended to bowl short of a length
6(in bridge or whist) the number of cards of a suit held in one’s hand, especially when five or more:to open one heart with equal length in hearts and spades is in the modern Acol style
at length
1in detail; fully:these aspects have been discussed at length
2after a long time:at length she laid down the pencil
the length and breadth of
the whole extent of:women from the length and breadth of Russia
