measure

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Translations 1.5 External links

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Middle English mesure from French mesure from Latin mēnsūra (“‘a measuring, rule, something to measure by’”) from mēnsus, pp. of mētīrī (“‘to measure, mete’”). Displaced native Middle English mǣte, mete "measure" (n.) (from Old English met "measure", cf Old English mitta "a measure"), Middle English ameten, imeten "to measure" (from Old English āmetan, ġemetan "to mete, measure), Middle English hof, hoof "measure, reason" (from Old Norse hōf "measure, reason"), Old English mǣþ "measure, degree".

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /'mɛʒə/, SAMPA: /"mEZ@/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɛʒə(r)
• Hyphenation: mea‧sure

[edit] Noun

measure (plural measures)

1. The quantity, size, weight, distance or capacity of a substance compared to a designated standard.
2. An (unspecified) quantity or capacity :

   a measure of salt

   (A date for this quote is being sought): The unwise man never knows the measure of his stomach. — from the Hávamál

3. The precise designated distance between two objects or points.
4. The act of measuring.
5. A musical designation consisting of all notes and or rests delineated by two vertical bars; an equal and regular division of the whole of a composition.
6. A rule, ruler or measuring stick.
7. A tactic, strategy or piece of legislation.

   He took drastic measures to halt inflation.

8. (mathematics) A function that assigns a non-negative number to a given set following the mathematical nature that is common among length, volume, probability and the like.
9. An indicator; Something used to assess some property.

   The average price of basic household goods is a measure for inflation.

   Honesty is the true measure of a man.

[edit] Synonyms

• (musical designation): bar

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to measure (third-person singular simple present measures, present participle measuring, simple past and past participle measured)

1. To ascertain the quantity of a unit of material via calculated comparison with respect to a standard.
2. To estimate the unit size of something.
3. To obtain or set apart; to mark in even increments.

[edit] Derived terms

• measurement
• measure stick
• measure theory

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• measure in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• measure in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• measure at OneLook® Dictionary Search