measures
measures — verb
1. to find out how long, wide, heavy, hot, or fast a thing is by using a tool such
to find out how long, wide, heavy, hot, or fast a thing is by using a tool such as a ruler, scale, or thermometer.
Sivan measures the kitchen floor before ordering new tiles.
transitive: measure + concrete object
The nurse measures every baby's head at the six-month check-up.
measure + body part for medical record
Caleb carefully measures the flour before adding it to the dough.
measure + ingredient when cooking
Engineers measure how much the bridge moves on windy days.
measure + how-clause for indirect questions
Tanvi uses a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water.
measure + abstract quantity via instrument
- measure precisely
- measure accurately
- measure the length/width/depth
- estimate
guess without a precise tool
Grammar Patterns
measure + noun (object)
measure + how/what-clause
Usage Note
Object is typically a physical quantity (length, weight, time, temperature). Often appears with the tool in a 'with' or 'using' phrase.
Common Mistakes
2. to have a stated length, width, height, or other dimension when checked.
to have a stated length, width, height, or other dimension when checked.
Élise's living-room rug measures three metres long and two metres wide.
measure + length + width dimensions
The new fridge measures only sixty centimetres across, so it fits anywhere.
measure + dimension + result clause
Salma's wedding cake measured almost a metre high before they cut it.
past tense: measured + height
The world's largest pumpkin this year measures over four feet across.
measure + impressive dimension
- measures X metres/feet/inches
- measures X across/long/wide
- be
plain spoken equivalent ('the rug is three metres long')
Grammar Patterns
measure + dimension (e.g. '2 metres long')
Usage Note
Subject is the object being described; no human agent. Distinguish from sense 1: in sense 1 someone performs the action; here the object simply has the size.
Common Mistakes
3. to form an opinion about how good, important, or successful someone or something
to form an opinion about how good, important, or successful someone or something is by comparing it to a standard.
Vinícius believes you cannot measure happiness with money or job titles.
measure + abstract quality
Schools often measure success by exam scores rather than student wellbeing.
measure + abstract + by + standard
Ife says we should measure a leader by what they do, not what they promise.
measure + person + by criterion
The team's progress is measured against the goals they set last spring.
passive: be measured + against + standard
- measure success
- measure progress
- measure against a standard
- measure performance
Grammar Patterns
measure + noun
measure + noun + against + standard
be measured + by/against
Usage Note
Frequently passive. Object is usually an abstract quality (success, happiness, progress, ability). Often paired with 'by', 'against', or 'in terms of' to name the yardstick.
Common Mistakes
measures — noun
1. an official action that a government, company, or other group takes in order to
an official action that a government, company, or other group takes in order to deal with a problem or reach a goal.
The city introduced new safety measures after the fire on Lemon Street.
introduce + safety measures
Sayaka's office took strict measures to stop people sharing customer data.
take measures + to-infinitive
Sari supports stronger measures against companies that pollute the river.
measures + against + problem
Emergency measures are in place at every airport during the heavy snow.
emergency measures + be in place
- take measures
- introduce measures
- tough/strict measures
- emergency measures
- safety measures
- inaction
doing nothing about a problem
Grammar Patterns
take measures (to do something)
measures against + problem
Usage Note
Almost always plural in this sense. Subject of the related verb is usually an institution (government, school, company), not a single person.
Common Mistakes
2. a unit or system used to express how big, heavy, fast, or hot something is — for
a unit or system used to express how big, heavy, fast, or hot something is — for example, metres, kilos, or seconds.
The metre is the standard measure of length in most countries today.
standard measure + of + dimension
Older British recipes use measures like pounds and ounces instead of grams.
measures + like + examples
Christopher's class learns about weights and measures from around the world.
fixed phrase: weights and measures
In music, the staff is divided into measures of equal length.
measure + in technical sense (music)
- standard measure
- weights and measures
- imperial/metric measure
Grammar Patterns
a measure of + noun
in standard measures
Usage Note
Often appears in the fixed phrase 'weights and measures'. Distinguish from sense 3: a measure here is a UNIT (metre, kilo), while in sense 3 it is an AMOUNT (a lot of, a little).
3. an amount of something, especially something good or bad like success, freedom,
an amount of something, especially something good or bad like success, freedom, or pain — used when you do not want to be exact.
Dario felt a real measure of pride when his daughter finished medical school.
a measure of + positive emotion
The new mayor brought a measure of calm to the worried neighbourhood.
a measure of + abstract quality
Justin enjoys a fair measure of freedom now that he works from home.
a fair/large/small measure of + noun
There was some measure of truth in what Chiara said about the manager.
some measure of + abstract noun (truth, doubt, success)
- a measure of success
- a measure of comfort
- a fair measure
- some measure of
Grammar Patterns
a measure of + uncountable noun
Usage Note
Typically follows 'a', 'some', 'a fair/large/small/certain'. Object is an uncountable abstract noun (success, freedom, truth, pain). Distinguish from sense 2: here measure means QUANTITY, not unit.
Common Mistakes
4. a fixed small amount of a strong drink such as whisky or gin, poured out in a ba
a fixed small amount of a strong drink such as whisky or gin, poured out in a bar using a special metal cup.
Inês ordered a double measure of whisky after a long shift at the hospital.
a (double) measure of + spirit
Each measure of gin in this pub is exactly twenty-five millilitres.
exact volume of a measure
Felipe poured a small measure of rum into the warm fruit cake.
a small measure of + spirit in cooking
The barman gave the regulars a generous measure of brandy on cold nights.
a generous measure of + spirit
- a measure of whisky/gin/rum
- a double measure
- a generous measure
Grammar Patterns
a measure of + spirit
Usage Note
Mainly British English; in American bars the word 'shot' or 'pour' is more common. Used only for spirits, not beer or wine.
5. in written music, one of the equal sections of a stave divided by upright lines,
in written music, one of the equal sections of a stave divided by upright lines, each holding the same count of beats.
Takeshi practised the first eight measures of the Mozart piece every morning.
measures + number (eight measures)
The teacher asked the violinists to play from measure twelve to measure twenty.
measure + ordinal-like number reference
Each measure in this waltz holds three beats and lasts about one second.
each measure + beats per measure
The pianist skipped two measures by mistake during the school concert.
skip/repeat + N measures
- the first/last measure
- measure number X
- measures of music
- bar
British English equivalent; same musical unit
Usage Note
American term; British musicians use 'bar' for the same thing. Found in music textbooks and on conductors' notes.
6. a sign or test used to decide how good, strong, or successful someone or somethi
a sign or test used to decide how good, strong, or successful someone or something really is.
Exam results are not the only measure of a good school.
the (only/best/true) measure of + abstract
Kindness to strangers is a fair measure of someone's character.
fair measure of + character/value
Profit alone is a poor measure of a company's long-term health.
poor/good measure of + abstract
The number of returning visitors is the truest measure of a hotel's quality.
the truest/best measure of + quality
- the best/truest/fairest measure of
- a poor measure of
- a measure of quality/success
Grammar Patterns
a measure of + abstract noun
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1 (action) and sense 3 (amount): here a measure is a TEST or sign you use to judge value. Often paired with 'the only/best/true/fair/poor measure of'.
Word family
- measureverbA2
- measurenounB2
- measurementnounB1
- measurableadjectiveB2
- immeasurableadjectiveC1
- measuredadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe what an institution does to respond to a problem, but their scope and tone differ. 'Measures' sounds official and is almost always plural — governments, schools, and companies take measures when the situation is serious enough to need a coordinated plan. 'Steps' is the everyday equivalent and feels smaller: a manager takes steps to improve morale; a parliament takes measures to control inflation. 'Action' is uncountable and broader — it covers any kind of doing, from one decision to a whole programme. 'Policies' are the most lasting: they are written rules that guide many separate measures over time. So a government writes a climate policy, then introduces specific measures (carbon tax, building rules), each carried out through smaller everyday steps.
Common collocations
Nouns
- safety measures
- emergency measures
- tough measures
- weights and measures
- a measure of success
- a measure of truth
Phrases
- take measures
- introduce measures
- for good measure
- in equal measure
- beyond measure
Prepositions
- measure against
- measure by
- measure in
- measure with
Etymology
Came into English in the 1200s from Old French 'mesure', which itself came from Latin 'mensura' — a noun built on 'metiri', meaning 'to measure'. The same Latin root lies behind 'metre', 'dimension', and 'immense' (literally 'beyond measuring'). The plural 'measures', meaning official actions, grew out of the older sense of 'a careful, measured response' to a problem.