handbreadth
/ˈhan(d)-ˌbretth -ˌbreth, -ˌbredth/ (ame, mw)
handbreadth — noun
1. a historical measurement for short lengths, equal to the span across the four fi
a historical measurement for short lengths, equal to the span across the four fingers of one hand — about 7 to 10 centimetres
Eleni laid her hand across the cloth and counted five handbreadths.
countable: 'five handbreadths' as an informal measurement
According to Kwasi, his palm measured exactly one handbreadth across.
The carpenter cut a board exactly three handbreadths wide for the shelf.
Haruto unrolled an ancient scroll with dimensions marked in handbreadths and cubits.
The gap between the stones was no wider than a single handbreadth.
- hand
a fixed unit of exactly 4 inches, used for measuring horses — unlike the variable handbreadth
- palm
a similar ancient measurement based on hand width, sometimes used interchangeably with handbreadth
- span
the distance from thumb tip to little-finger tip when stretched (~9 inches), much larger than a handbreadth
文法句型
[number] + handbreadths
a handbreadth + wide/across
用法筆記
Appears mainly in biblical passages and historical texts. In the Hebrew Bible, a handbreadth (tefach) was roughly one-sixth of a cubit. Not used in modern measurement systems.