measure
♦♦ meas|ure /m'eʒər/ (measures measuring measured)
1 [VERB] V n prep, V n
If you measure the quality, value, or effect of something, you discover or judge how great it is.
I continued to measure his progress against the charts in the doctor's office...
It was difficult to measure the precise impact of the labor action.
2 [VERB] V n
If you measure a quantity that can be expressed in numbers, such as the length of something, you discover it using a particular instrument or device, for example a ruler.
Measure the length and width of the gap...
3 [VERB] no cont, V amount
If something measures a particular length, width, or amount, that is its size or intensity, expressed in numbers.
The house is more than twenty metres long and measures six metres in width...
= be
4 [N-SING] N of n
A measure of a particular quality, feeling, or activity is a fairly large amount of it. (FORMAL)
The colonies were claiming a larger measure of self-government.
5 [N-SING] N of n/wh
If you say that one aspect of a situation is a measure of that situation, you mean that it shows that the situation is very serious or has developed to a very great extent.
That is a measure of how bad things have become at the bank.
6 [N-COUNT] oft N to-inf, N against n
When someone, usually a government or other authority, takes measures to do something, they carry out particular actions in order to achieve a particular result. (FORMAL)
The government warned that police would take tougher measures to contain the trouble...
7 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
A measure of a strong alcoholic drink such as brandy or whisky is an amount of it in a glass. In pubs and bars, a measure is an official standard amount.
He poured himself another generous measure of malt.
8 [N-COUNT]
In music, a measure is one of the several short parts of the same length into which a piece of music is divided. (AM; in BRIT, use bar)
9
see also measured, measuring, half measure, half measure, tape measure
10 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you say that something has changed or that it has affected you beyond measure, you are emphasizing that it has done this to a great extent.
Mankind's knowledge of the universe has increased beyond measure...
11 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR with cl
If you say that something is done for good measure, you mean that it is done in addition to a number of other things.
I repeated my question for good measure...
12 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you get or take the measure of someone or something, you discover what they are like, so that you are able to control them or deal with them. If you have the measure of someone or something, you have succeeded in doing this.
The governments of the industrialized world had failed to get the measure of the crisis...
Lili was the only person I knew who had the measure of her brother.
13 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
If something is true in some measure or in large measure, it is partly or mostly true. (FORMAL)
Power is in some measure an act of will...half meas|ure (half measures)
also half-measure
[N-COUNT] usu pl
If someone refers to policies or actions as half measures, they are critical of them because they think that they are not forceful enough and are therefore of little value.
They have already declared their intention to fight on rather than settle for half-measures.measure out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If you measure out a certain amount of something, you measure that amount and take it or mark it because it is the amount that you want or need.
I'd already measured out the ingredients...measure up
[PHRASAL VERB] usu with brd-neg, V P to n, V P
If you do not measure up to a standard or to someone's expectations, you are not good enough to achieve the standard or fulfil the person's expectations.
It was fatiguing sometimes to try to measure up to her standard of perfection...
She's always comparing me to other people, and somehow I never measure up.tape meas|ure (tape measures)
[N-COUNT]
A tape measure is a strip of metal, plastic, or cloth which has numbers marked on it and is used for measuring.
1 [VERB] V n prep, V n
If you measure the quality, value, or effect of something, you discover or judge how great it is.
I continued to measure his progress against the charts in the doctor's office...
It was difficult to measure the precise impact of the labor action.
2 [VERB] V n
If you measure a quantity that can be expressed in numbers, such as the length of something, you discover it using a particular instrument or device, for example a ruler.
Measure the length and width of the gap...
3 [VERB] no cont, V amount
If something measures a particular length, width, or amount, that is its size or intensity, expressed in numbers.
The house is more than twenty metres long and measures six metres in width...
= be
4 [N-SING] N of n
A measure of a particular quality, feeling, or activity is a fairly large amount of it. (FORMAL)
The colonies were claiming a larger measure of self-government.
5 [N-SING] N of n/wh
If you say that one aspect of a situation is a measure of that situation, you mean that it shows that the situation is very serious or has developed to a very great extent.
That is a measure of how bad things have become at the bank.
6 [N-COUNT] oft N to-inf, N against n
When someone, usually a government or other authority, takes measures to do something, they carry out particular actions in order to achieve a particular result. (FORMAL)
The government warned that police would take tougher measures to contain the trouble...
7 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
A measure of a strong alcoholic drink such as brandy or whisky is an amount of it in a glass. In pubs and bars, a measure is an official standard amount.
He poured himself another generous measure of malt.
8 [N-COUNT]
In music, a measure is one of the several short parts of the same length into which a piece of music is divided. (AM; in BRIT, use bar)
9
see also measured, measuring, half measure, half measure, tape measure
10 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you say that something has changed or that it has affected you beyond measure, you are emphasizing that it has done this to a great extent.
Mankind's knowledge of the universe has increased beyond measure...
11 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR with cl
If you say that something is done for good measure, you mean that it is done in addition to a number of other things.
I repeated my question for good measure...
12 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you get or take the measure of someone or something, you discover what they are like, so that you are able to control them or deal with them. If you have the measure of someone or something, you have succeeded in doing this.
The governments of the industrialized world had failed to get the measure of the crisis...
Lili was the only person I knew who had the measure of her brother.
13 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
If something is true in some measure or in large measure, it is partly or mostly true. (FORMAL)
Power is in some measure an act of will...half meas|ure (half measures)
also half-measure
[N-COUNT] usu pl
If someone refers to policies or actions as half measures, they are critical of them because they think that they are not forceful enough and are therefore of little value.
They have already declared their intention to fight on rather than settle for half-measures.measure out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If you measure out a certain amount of something, you measure that amount and take it or mark it because it is the amount that you want or need.
I'd already measured out the ingredients...measure up
[PHRASAL VERB] usu with brd-neg, V P to n, V P
If you do not measure up to a standard or to someone's expectations, you are not good enough to achieve the standard or fulfil the person's expectations.
It was fatiguing sometimes to try to measure up to her standard of perfection...
She's always comparing me to other people, and somehow I never measure up.tape meas|ure (tape measures)
[N-COUNT]
A tape measure is a strip of metal, plastic, or cloth which has numbers marked on it and is used for measuring.