1 size
2 measurement
3 comparing things of different sizes
4 the right size
1 size
- how big or small sth is: size (noun C/U)
the size of a building/person/car ◎ They're the same size. ◎ This box is four times the size of that one. ◎ The batteries you bought weren't the right size. ◎ They've got this shirt in lots of different sizes. ◎ an animal the size of a small dog
- big in size or amount: big, large; opposites: small, little
big men/boxes/shoes ◎ a large area of desert ◎ a small boy ◎ a little girl
※ being big or small BIG/SMALL
2 measurement
- to find the size of sb/sth: measure sb/sth
Can you help me measure these curtains?
- the size or amount that is found by measuring sb/sth: measurement
What are your measurements? (= all the different measurements of your body)
- to be a certain size: measure sth
The side of the room measures three metres. ◎ The garden measures about 30 yards by 95.
- a hard piece of wood, plastic, etc used for measuring the length of things and drawing straight lines: ruler
- a long flexible strip of plastic, metal, etc used for measuring the length of things: tape measure
※ more on height, length, width, thickness HEIGHT, LONG/SHORT, WIDE/NARROW, FAT/THIN/THICK
- the size of the surface of sth: area (noun C/U)
The surface area of Great Britain is much less than that of France. ◎ You'll need to measure the exact area of the room. ◎ The total area of the farm is about 200 hectares.
- the space that sth contains or occupies: volume (noun C/U)
You can find the volume of a box by multiplying its length by its height by its width.
- a measurement of length, height, width, depth or thickness: dimension
The dimensions of a room are its height, length and width.
※ units of measurement
- connected with the system of measurements used in most parts of the world: metric
the metric system| metric measurements |
|
| length |
|
| a unit used for measuring small amounts |
centimetre (cm) |
| one tenth of a centimetre |
millimetre (mm) |
| 100 centimetres |
metre (m) |
| 1 000 metres |
kilometre (km) |
| area |
|
| a unit used for measuring small areas |
square centimetre |
| 10 000 square centimetres (used for measuring areas of buildings) |
square metre |
| 10 000 square metres (used for measuring small areas of land) |
hectare |
| 100 hectares (used for measuring large areas of land) | square kilometre |
| volume | |
| a unit used for measuring small volumes | cubic centimetre (cc) |
| 1 000 000 cubic centimetres | cubic metre |
| non-metric measurements | |
| length | |
| a unit used for measuring small amounts | inch (in) |
| twelve inches | foot (plural feet) (ft) |
| three feet | yard (yd) |
| 1 760 yards | mile |
| area | |
| a unit used for measuring small areas | square inch (sq in) |
| 144 square inches | square foot (sq ft) |
| 9 square feet (used for measuring areas of buildings) | square yard (sq yd) |
| 4 840 square yards (used for measuring small areas of land) | acre |
| 640 square acres (used for measuring large areas of land) | square mile |
| volume | |
| a unit used for measuring volume | cubic inch |
| 1 728 cubic inches | cubic foot |
| 27 cubic feet | cubic yard |
※ comparing the metric and non-metric systems
- 1 inch = 2.54 centimetres
- 1 foot = 30.48 centimetres
- 1 yard = 0.914 metre
- 1 acre = 0.405 hectare
- 1 mile = 1.609 kilometres
- 1 square inch = 6.45 square centimetres
- 1 square foot = 929.03 square centimetres
- 1 square yard = 0.836 square metre
- 1 square mile = 2.59 square kilometres
- 1 cubic inch = 16.39 cubic centimetres
- 1 cubic foot = 0.028 cubic metre
- 1 cubic yard = 0.765 cubic metre
Note: when you use a measurement in front of a noun, it should not be put in the plural:
The ruler is six inches long. ◎ Have you got a six-inch ruler? ◎ We walked for five miles. ◎ a five-mile walk ◎ Our farm is 1 000 hectares. ◎ a 1 000-hectare farm
- Solids are measured either by using units of volume (see above) or by using units of weight:
a million cubic metres of soil ◎ a tonne of sand ◎ a pound of jam
※ measurement of weight WEIGHT
- measurement of amounts of liquids LIQUID
3 comparing things of different sizes
- if sth is the same in size as sth else, it is the same size (as sth), equal (to sth), the two things are equal (in size)
an area equal to England and Wales ◎ several items of equal weight
- if sth is not the same in size as sth else, it is a different size (to sth), the two things are unequal
unequal in length
- if things are different in size, they vary (in size); noun (C/U): variation
They're not all the same size - they vary quite a lot. ◎ You need to allow for variation in size.
- two times as big as sb/sth: double (the size), twice the size
She's almost twice the size of her sister.
- the relationship between the actual size of sth and its measurement on a map or plan: scale
What scale is the map? ◎ This map uses a much larger scale than that one. ◎ a large-scale map
- the same size as the person or thing represented: full-scale, life-size
a full-scale model of a boat ◎ They put up a life-size statue of the president.
※ more on maps MAP
4 the right size
- if the size of sth is good for what you need it for, it is the right size; opposite: wrong size
I'm afraid I bought the wrong size - can I change it? ◎ the right size bottle
- if a piece of clothing is the right size or shape for sb, it fits, it is a good fit
It doesn't fit - it's too big. ◎ It's not a very good fit.
- to be the right size or shape to go inside sth or onto sth: go* in/on (to sth), fit
The plug won't go in to the socket. ◎ These chair covers you bought are the wrong size - they don't fit well at all.
※ the sizes of clothes CLOTHES
