Webster's English Dictionary

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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