Definition

Noun: - A unit of length: A furlong is a unit of measurement for distance, equal to 220 yards, one-eighth of a mile, or approximately 201 meters.

Usage

The word "furlong" is used primarily in historical contexts, in horse racing, and in countries using the imperial system of measurement to specify distances. - It is a countable noun (e.g., one furlong, two furlongs). - It is often abbreviated as "fur." or simply "f".

Examples

• Noun:
  • The race is exactly six furlongs long.
  • In medieval England, a furlong was considered the length of a standard plowed field.
  • The farm extends for about half a furlong beyond that fence.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Land Measurement: Originally, a furlong represented the length of a furrow in a common field, making it a practical agricultural measurement.
  • The old land deeds described the property as being ten furlongs in length.
• Horse Racing: The furlong is the standard unit for expressing race distances in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States.
  • The favorite won the seven-furlong sprint by a nose.

Variants and Related Words

• Furlonger (noun, obsolete): A person who measured or plowed by the furlong. This term is rarely used in modern English.
• Furlong's breadth (noun, historical): An informal term sometimes used to describe a narrow strip of land.

Synonyms

• Unit of length: While there is no direct single-word synonym, it can be described as "one-eighth of a mile" or "220 yards".

Related Phrases

• By furlongs: Used to describe measurement or progress over a distance.
  • They measured the new road by furlongs.
• A furlong post: A marker indicating the distance in a horse race.
  • The jockey made his move just past the two-furlong post.

Noun

1. a unit of length equal to 220 yards