measure
1. mea.sure \'mezh-*r, 'ma-zh-\ n [ME mesure, fr. OF, fr. L mensura, fr.
mensus, pp. of meti]ri to measure; akin to OE m-th measure, Gk metron
1a1: an adequate or due portion 1a2: a moderate degree; also : MODERATION,
TEMPERANCE 1a3: a fixed or suitable limit : BOUNDS 1b: the dimensions,
capacity, or amount of something ascertained by measuri ng 1c1: a measured
quantity 1c2: AMOUNT, DEGREE 2a: an instrument or utensil for measuring
2b1: a standard or unit of measurement 2b2: a system of standard units of
measure {metric ~} 3: the act or process of measuring 4a1: MELODY, TUNE
4a2: DANCE; esp : a slow and stately dance 4b: rhythmic structure or
movement : CADENCE : as 4b1: poetic rhythm measured by temporal quality or
accent; specif : METER 4b2: musical time 4c1: a grouping of musical beats
made by the regular recurrence of primary accents and located on the staff
immediately following a vertical bar 4c2: a metrical unit : FOOT 5: an
exact divisor of a number 6: a basis or standard of comparison : CRITERION
7: a step planned or taken as a means to an end; specif : a propose d
legislative act
2. measure \-(*-)rin\ \-*r-*r\ vb or mea.sur.ing 1a: to choose or control
with cautious restraint : REGULATE {@ his acts} 1b: to regulate by a
standard : GOVERN 2: to allot or apportion in measured amounts {~ out 3
cups} 3: to lay off by making measurements 4: to ascertain the
measurements of 5: to estimate or appraise by a criterion {~s his skill
agai nst his rival} archaic 6: to travel over : TRAVERSE 7: to serve as a
measure of {thermometer ~s temperature} 1: to take or make a measurement
2: to have a specified measurement - mea.sur.er n