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Definition of measure verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

measure

verb
 
/ˈmeʒə(r)/
 
/ˈmeʒər/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they measure
 
/ˈmeʒə(r)/
 
/ˈmeʒər/
he / she / it measures
 
/ˈmeʒəz/
 
/ˈmeʒərz/
past simple measured
 
/ˈmeʒəd/
 
/ˈmeʒərd/
past participle measured
 
/ˈmeʒəd/
 
/ˈmeʒərd/
-ing form measuring
 
/ˈmeʒərɪŋ/
 
/ˈmeʒərɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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    size/quantity

  1. to find the size, quantity, etc. of something in standard units
    • measure something/somebody a device that measures the level of radiation in the atmosphere
    • Blood pressure and heart rate should be measured before treatment.
    • A nurse visited country schools to weigh and measure children.
    • measuring equipment/instruments
    • measure something in something A ship's speed is measured in knots.
    • measure somebody/something for something He's gone to be measured for a new suit.
    • measure how much, how long, etc… A dipstick is used to measure how much oil is left in an engine.
    Extra Examples
    • Body temperatures were measured with a digital thermometer.
    • The wage price index measures hourly rates of pay.
    • Cloth is measured in metres.
    • You can now measure its length more accurately.
    • They measure the time taken by each rat to find the centre of the maze.
    • Biomarkers can measure your biological age, regardless of what your birth certificate says.
    • Any type of data that could not be directly measured was rejected.
    • Education policy places too much emphasis on things that can be quantitatively measured.
    Topics Cooking and eatingb1, Maths and measurementb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accurately
    • exactly
    • precisely
    verb + measure
    • be able to
    • can
    • be easy to
    preposition
    • for
    • in
    See full entry
  2. linking verb (not used in the progressive tenses) + noun to be a particular size, length, amount, etc.
    • The main bedroom measures 12ft by 15ft.
    • The pond measures about 2 metres across.
    • The whole plot measures just 13ft wide at the front.
    • The earthquake measured 8.4 on the Richter scale.
    Extra Examples
    • The burial chamber measures approximately 85m wide and stands 12m high.
    • The mantis nymph typically measures 4mm in size.
    Topics Maths and measurementb2
  3. judge

  4. measure something | measure how, what, etc… to judge the importance, value or effect of something synonym assess
    • It is difficult to measure the success of the campaign at this stage.
    • The company never measures success in dollars alone.
    • Regular tests are used to measure students' progress.
    • How does a teacher measure performance in music or gym, for example?
    Extra Examples
    • Success is measured by the enjoyment of the audience.
    • Is it really possible to measure the skills of such jobs according to objective standards?
    • It is hard to measure the benefits to society of the system.
    • Success cannot be measured merely in terms of the size of your salary.
    • The policy's effectiveness cannot be measured by numbers alone.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • easily
    • effectively
    • objectively
    verb + measure
    • can
    • be easy to
    • be possible to
    preposition
    • according to
    • against
    • by
    phrases
    • a method of measuring something
    • a way of measuring something
    See full entry
  5. Word OriginMiddle English (as a noun in the senses ‘moderation’, ‘instrument for measuring’, ‘unit of capacity’): from Old French mesure, from Latin mensura, from mens- ‘measured’, from the verb metiri.
See measure in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee measure in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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