mile
/maɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /maɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmī(-ə)l/ (ame, mw)
mile — noun
- milesingular
- milesplural
1. a measurement used in the US, the UK, and a few other countries to say how far a
a measurement used in the US, the UK, and a few other countries to say how far apart two places are on land. One mile is equal to about 1.6 kilometres, or 1,760 yards.
The nearest town is about five miles from the farm where Kenji grew up.
distance expression: X miles from [place]
Reuben drove at sixty miles per hour on the empty highway.
miles per hour (speed measurement)
The hiking trail stretches for over ten miles through the forest.
The old sign said the nearest gas station was two miles ahead on the left.
- kilometre
the metric unit of distance, used in most countries outside the US and UK
文法句型
number + miles + from/to/outside + place
miles per hour/gallon
number + square/nautical + mile(s)
用法筆記
Mile is used in the US customary system and the UK imperial system. Most other countries use kilometres. The abbreviation is 'mi.' and can appear on road signs.
常見錯誤
2. a running competition in which athletes race a distance of one mile, often held
a running competition in which athletes race a distance of one mile, often held on a track during track-and-field events.
Noor trained for months to compete in the mile at the national championships.
compete in + the + mile (event name)
The school held its annual mile every spring on the track behind the gym.
Maeve finished the mile in just under five minutes, a personal best for the season.
Winning the mile at the state meet was the proudest moment of Asher's running career.
- one-mile race
more explicit; used when the context is not clearly sporting
文法句型
run/win/lose + the + mile
the + mile + event/race/championship
用法筆記
When 'the mile' is used without a number, it refers to the race event itself, not the distance. For example: 'He runs the mile' means he competes in the one-mile race.
常見錯誤
3. the duration a runner records when covering a one-mile distance, often tracked a
the duration a runner records when covering a one-mile distance, often tracked as a personal record or used as a training goal.
His best mile is four minutes and twelve seconds, set at the regional final.
possessive + best mile + time
The coach recorded every runner's mile during practice each Tuesday afternoon.
Élise improved her mile by three seconds after switching to a lighter pair of shoes.
A mile under five minutes is a common target for high school runners.
- mile time
explicitly refers to the duration; 'mile' alone is ambiguous between race event and time
文法句型
someone's + best/fastest + mile
improve/set/record + a + mile
用法筆記
This sense is closely related to sense 2 (RACE), but here 'mile' refers to the recorded time rather than the event itself. 'His mile is 4:12' means his time, not the race.
常見錯誤
4. a very large physical distance; also used to emphasise a big difference between
a very large physical distance; also used to emphasise a big difference between two things, such as quality, opinion, or accuracy.
The nearest hospital is miles from the mountain cabin where Noor stayed.
miles from [place] (figurative distance)
This new café is miles better than the old one near the station.
miles + comparative (miles better/worse)
Christopher's guess was miles off from the correct answer to the puzzle.
The family drove for miles along the coast without seeing another car.
- a long way
neutral; works in all registers, but lacks the emphasis of 'miles'
- far
simpler but does not carry the same emphatic tone; 'far' is an adjective/adverb, not a noun
- light-years
stronger figurative hyperbole but much less common and more informal
文法句型
miles + from + place
miles + comparative adjective (better/worse/off)
for miles
miles away/off
用法筆記
In this sense 'miles' is usually plural even when referring to a singular distance. It often appears in informal comparisons: 'miles better', 'miles off', 'miles away' (literal). Do not confuse with the idiom 'be miles away' (lost in thought).