measure
8 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
measures
plural
measures
Britannica Dictionary definition of MEASURE
1
:
an amount or degree of something
— usually singular
[count]
-
She felt equal measures of hope and fear.
-
The province has gained a large measure of freedom.
-
Their children want a greater measure of independence. [=they want more independence]
-
The coating provides a measure of protection [=provides some protection] against corrosion.
-
The proposal has been met with a measure [=a certain amount] of skepticism.
-
The alarm system provides an added measure of security. [=provides more security]
[noncount]
-
The show mixes comedy and drama in equal measure. [=in equal amounts]
-
He returned their hostility in full measure. [=he was as hostile toward them as they were toward him]
-
The company's success is due in no small measure to her talents. [=its success is largely due to her talents]
-
Their actions were motivated in large measure by a desire for revenge.
-
An occasion like this calls for some measure of decorum.
2
[count]
b
:
a unit used in measuring something
—
see also made-to-measure
-
The meter is a measure of length.
-
The dictionary includes a table of weights and measures.
3
[count]
:
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result
-
The legislature has passed a measure aimed at protecting consumers.
-
The governor has proposed a number of cost-cutting measures.
-
They were forced to resort to desperate/extreme measures.
-
protective/punitive/preventive measures
-
We need to take measures to protect ourselves.
4
[count]
:
a sign or indication of something
— usually singular
-
Wealth is not a measure of happiness.
-
Her willingness to compromise is a measure of how much she's changed.
5
[count]
:
a way of judging something
-
The company is a success by any measure.
-
Are IQ tests the best measure of intelligence?
6
[count]
chiefly US, music
:
a part of a line of written music that is between two vertical lines or the group of beats between these lines
-
a brief clarinet solo in the third measure
-
Can you hum a few measures [=bars] of that song?
beyond measure
formal
:
to a very great degree
-
an artist who is talented beyond (all) measure [=who is exceptionally talented]
-
Her joy was beyond measure. [=she was very happy]
for good measure
:
as something added or extra
-
He performed his most recent songs, and then threw in a couple of old ones for good measure.
have/take/get the measure of (someone)
chiefly British or have/take/get someone's measure
:
to have or get a good understanding about what is needed to defeat or deal with (someone you are competing against)
-
She failed to take the measure of her opponent. [=she failed to realize how good her opponent was]
2
measure
/ˈmɛʒɚ/
verb
measures;
measured;
measuring
2
measure
/ˈmɛʒɚ/
verb
measures;
measured;
measuring
Britannica Dictionary definition of MEASURE
1
[+ object]
a
:
to find out the size, length, or amount of (something)
-
using a ruler to measure a piece of paper
-
an instrument for measuring air pressure
-
I measured [=estimated] the distance with my eye.
-
mental abilities measured by IQ testing
b
:
to find out the size of (someone) for clothing
-
He's being measured for a new suit.
2
[+ object]
:
to judge the importance, value, or extent of (something)
— often + against
-
It's difficult to measure [=evaluate] the importance of these events.
-
His success cannot be measured solely on the basis of his popularity.
-
Her accomplishments need to be measured against [=compared with] those of her predecessor.
3
[linking verb]
:
to have a specified size
-
The cloth measures 3 meters.
-
The room measures 15 feet wide by 30 feet long.
measure off
[phrasal verb]
measure off (something)
also
measure (something) off
:
to measure (something) and mark its edges or its beginning and ending
-
They measured off a half-acre plot for the house lot.
-
He measured off three yards of cloth.
measure out
[phrasal verb]
measure out (something)
also
measure (something) out
:
to measure and remove (something) from a larger amount
-
She carefully measured out three cups of flour.
measure up
[phrasal verb]
:
to be as good as expected or needed
— often + to
-
His early works were promising, but his recent films haven't measured up. [=his recent films haven't been as good as his early ones]
-
His recent films haven't measured up to his earlier works.
-
Her work didn't measure up to our expectations. [=was not as good as we expected it to be]
