Measure \Meas"ure\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Measured}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Measuring}.] [F. mesurer, L. mensurare. See {Measure}, n.] 1. To ascertain by use of a measuring instrument; to compute or ascertain the extent, quantity, dimensions, or capacity of, by a certain rule or standard; to take the dimensions of; hence, to estimate; to judge of; to value; to appraise.
Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite Thy power! what thought can measure thee? --Milton.
2. To serve as the measure of; as, the thermometer measures changes of temperature.
3. To pass throught or over in journeying, as if laying off and determining the distance.
A true devoted pilgrim is not weary To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps. --Shak.
4. To adjust by a rule or standard.
To secure a contented spirit, measure your desires by your fortunes, not your fortunes by your desires. --Jer. Taylor.
5. To allot or distribute by measure; to set off or apart by measure; -- often with out or off.
With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. --Matt. vii. 2.
That portion of eternity which is called time, measured out by the sun. --Addison.
{To measure swords with one}, to try another's skill in the use of the sword; hence, figuratively, to match one's abilities against an antagonist's.
Measure \Meas"ure\, v. i. 1. To make a measurement or measurements.
2. To result, or turn out, on measuring; as, the grain measures well; the pieces measure unequally.
3. To be of a certain size or quantity, or to have a certain length, breadth, or thickness, or a certain capacity according to a standard measure; as, cloth measures three fourths of a yard; a tree measures three feet in diameter.
measure \meas"ure\ (m[e^]zh"[-u]r; 135), n. [OE. mesure, F. mesure, L. mensura, fr. metiri, mensus, to measure; akin to metrum poetical measure, Gr. me`tron, E. meter. Cf. {Immense}, {Mensuration}, {Mete} to measure.] 1. A standard of dimension; a fixed unit of quantity or extent; an extent or quantity in the fractions or multiples of which anything is estimated and stated; hence, a rule by which anything is adjusted or judged.
2. An instrument by means of which size or quantity is measured, as a graduated line, rod, vessel, or the like.
False ells and measures be brought all clean adown. --R. of Gloucester.
3. The dimensions or capacity of anything, reckoned according to some standard; size or extent, determined and stated; estimated extent; as, to take one's measure for a coat.
The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. --Job xi. 9.
4. The contents of a vessel by which quantity is measured; a quantity determined by a standard; a stated or limited quantity or amount.
It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal. --Luke xiii. 21.
5. Extent or degree not excessive or beyong bounds; moderation; due restraint; esp. in the phrases, in measure; with measure; without or beyond measure.
Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure. --Is. v. 14.
6. Determined extent, not to be exceeded; limit; allotted share, as of action, influence, ability, or the like; due proportion.
Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days. --Ps. xxxix. 4.
7. The quantity determined by measuring, especially in buying and selling; as, to give good or full measure.
8. Undefined quantity; extent; degree.
There is a great measure of discretion to be used in the performance of confession. --Jer. Taylor.
9. Regulated division of movement: (a) (Dancing) A regulated movement corresponding to the time in which the accompanying music is performed; but, especially, a slow and stately dance, like the minuet. (b) (Mus.) (1) The group or grouping of beats, caused by the regular recurrence of accented beats. (2) The space between two bars. See {Beat}, {Triple}, {Quadruple}, {Sextuple}, {Compound time}, under {Compound}, a., and {Figure}. (c) (Poetry) The manner of ordering and combining the quantities, or long and short syllables; meter; rhythm; hence, a foot; as, a poem in iambic measure.
10. (Arith.) A number which is contained in a given number a number of times without a remainder; as in the phrases, the common measure, the greatest common measure, etc., of two or more numbers; a denominator. See {common denominator} under {denominator}. [1913 Webster +PJC]
11. A step or definite part of a progressive course or policy; a means to an end; an act designed for the accomplishment of an object; as, political measures; prudent measures; an inefficient measure.
His majesty found what wrong measures he had taken in the conferring that trust, and lamented his error. --Clarendon.
12. The act of measuring; measurement. --Shak.
13. pl. (Geol.) Beds or strata; as, coal measures; lead measures.
{linear measure}, {lineal measure}, or {long measure}, measure of length; the measure of lines or distances.
{Liquid measure}, the measure of liquids.
{Square measure}, the measure of superficial area of surfaces in square units, as inches, feet, miles, etc.
{To have hard measure}, to have harsh treatment meted out to one; to be harshly or oppressively dealt with.
{To take measures}, to make preparations; to provide means.
{To take one's measure}, to measure one, as for a garment; hence, to form an opinion of one's disposition, character, ability, etc.
{To tread a measure}, to dance in the style so called. See 9 (a) .
Say to her, we have measured many miles To tread a measure with her on this grass. --Shak.
'And you also wonder whether there really are that many opportunities out there in the first place.' THERE is no better measure of Saudi Arabia's business buoyancy than its stock market.
One measure closely watched by analysts as a barometer of the economy's strength, new orders for nondefense capital goods, rose 1.3% to $30.15 billion in October after climbing 0.7% the month before.
Under the measure, the arrest authority for Border Patrol agents has been expanded from immigration law violations to other crimes, including suspected drug activity.
The bill passed the lower house of the Diet earlier this month, but the ruling Liberal Demoratic Party lacks a majority in the upper house and couldn't enlist sufficient opposition support for the measure.
Instead, they described it has a housecleaning measure agreed upon after Presser underwent a heart bypass operation in late 1983 to assure that control of the union remained with officials at its international headquarters in Washington.
That measure narrowly passed, leading to the vote next week.
"All of us realize the more revenue we have in this bill, the less likely the president is to sign it," said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., manager of the Senate tax measure.
Critics said the homosexuality measure, known as Clause 28, was a setback for gay rights in Britain and a swing toward authoritanian rule by Mrs. Thatcher and her government.
Also this week, the House gave final congressional approval to legislation creating a congressional panel to investigate the eight-month-old strike against Eastern, a measure the Bush administration has threatened to veto.
The capital-gains measure, authored by Rep. Ed Jenkins (D., Ga.), is opposed by the Democratic leadership in Congress.
But their migration from country to city constitutes a great personal improvement in life style and a high measure of contentment.
Nevada voters approved a measure to protect abortion rights.
DECIDES, as a consequence, to take the following measure to secure compliance of Iraq with operative paragraph 2 and to restore the authority of the legitimate Government of Kuwait; 3.
The House education and labor committee approved a measure by Rep. Tony Hall, D-Ohio, to let states borrow a greater amount of next year's WIC appropriation to cover current shortages.
But the measure would add the Senate president pro tempore to that list.
The measure would ban the import of five foreign-made weapons and outlaw the manufacture of four other varieties in this country. The bill would not bar possession or sale of the weapons.
Conversely, a critical press can sometimes alert a company to an area of weak performance. But not everyone believes that media evaluation techniques are a satisfactory measure of PR's effectiveness.
"We feel very strongly we have observed excess energy," he said. "We feel confident in being able to measure the heat.
"We smash it down with a fork and then measure how much it sprang up," says tester Marsha McNeil.
Last week, when Lady Thatcher came out with her clarion call for the latter measure, British ministers dismissed it as 'emotional nonsense'.
The seventh measure, a proposal to allow North Dakota legislators to join the state Public Employees Retirement System, lost by 88 percent, the unofficial totals showed.
The measure also would require President Bush to report to Congress by May 1990 on withdrawing all U.S. forces from South Korea.
"We do not oppose the measure," Mr. Glauber said.
The current account deficit provides a measure of the amount of money the nation must raise abroad, principally from borrowing, to finance the economy.
That's a measure of prevention far better than anything we have now."
Action on these bills now shifts to the Senate, which has passed one pro-labor measure of its own.
But we must go on." A federal budget measure signed last year by President George Bush deleted more than $200 million for the aging Blackbirds.
Analysts say the three-month measure is the most reliable guide to spending trends.
House and Senate negotiators completed work on key sections of a $151 billion highway and transit measure promoted as a way to create new jobs.
Democrats said more Republicans may oppose the measure rather than accept the racial provision.