Marathon

/'mærəθən/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition

Noun: 1. A long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards), typically run on roads. It is a major athletic event, often the final event of the Olympic Games. 2. Any long and arduous task or activity that requires great endurance, persistence, or stamina, often likened to the difficulty of running a marathon race. 3. (Historical, capitalized) The Battle of Marathon, a famous battle in 490 BC where the Athenians and their allies defeated the invading Persian army.

Examples of Usage
  • Noun (Race):
    • She trained for six months to run her first marathon.
    • The city marathon attracts thousands of participants every year.
  • Noun (Arduous Task):
    • The negotiations turned into a diplomatic marathon, lasting over 48 hours.
    • Studying for the bar exam was a real mental marathon.
Advanced Usage
  • "to run a marathon": To participate in a marathon race.
    • His goal is to run a marathon on every continent.
  • "a marathon session": An exceptionally long and intensive period of an activity.
    • We had a marathon session to finish the project before the deadline.
Variants and Related Words
  • Marathoner (noun): A person who runs in a marathon race.
    • The experienced marathoner knew how to pace herself.
  • Marathon (adjective, informal): Used to describe something very long in duration.
    • We settled in for a marathon movie night.
Synonyms
  • Endurance race: A race designed to test stamina over a long distance.
  • Grueling task: An extremely demanding and tiring piece of work.
  • Ordeal: A painful or difficult experience.
Related Phrases
  • Marathon race: The full, formal name for the running event.
    • He won the gold medal in the marathon race.
  • Half-marathon: A long-distance running event of 21.0975 km (13.1094 mi).
    • She completed a half-marathon as a step towards the full distance.
Related Idioms
  • It's a marathon, not a sprint: An idiom emphasizing that a particular endeavor requires sustained effort over a long period, not a short, intense burst of energy.
    • Building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint.
Noun
  1. a battle in 490 BC in which the Athenians and their allies defeated the Persians
  2. a footrace of 26 miles 385 yards
  3. any long and arduous undertaking