Library / English Dictionary

METER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of various measuring instruments for measuring a quantity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("meter" is a kind of...):

measuring device; measuring instrument; measuring system (instrument that shows the extent or amount or quantity or degree of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "meter"):

water meter (meter for measuring the quantity of water passing through a particular outlet)

volumeter (a meter to measure the volume of gases, liquids, or solids (either directly or by displacement))

voltmeter (meter that measures the potential difference between two points)

taximeter (a meter in a taxi that registers the fare (based on the length of the ride))

speed indicator; speedometer (a meter fixed to a vehicle that measures and displays its speed)

reflectometer (a meter that measures the reflectance of a surface)

radiometer (meter to detect and measure radiant energy (electromagnetic or acoustic))

postage meter (meter for bulk mailings that imprints correct prepaid postage on pieces of mail and records the total charge)

ohmmeter (a meter for measuring electrical resistance in ohms)

hodometer; mileometer; milometer; odometer (a meter that shows mileage traversed)

gaussmeter; magnetometer (a meter to compare strengths of magnetic fields)

gas meter; gasometer (a meter for measuring the amount of gas flowing through a particular pipe)

galvanometer (meter for detecting or comparing or measuring small electric currents)

fluxmeter (meter that measures magnetic flux by the current it generates in a coil)

electrometer (meter to measure electrostatic voltage differences; draws no current from the source)

electric meter; power meter (a meter for measuring the amount of electric power used)

ammeter (a meter that measures the flow of electrical current in amperes)

Derivation:

meter (measure with a meter)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Rhythm as given by division into parts of equal duration

Synonyms:

meter; metre; time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("meter" is a kind of...):

rhythmicity (the rhythmic property imparted by the accents and relative durations of notes in a piece of music)

Derivation:

metric (the rhythmic arrangement of syllables)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse

Synonyms:

beat; cadence; measure; meter; metre

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("meter" is a kind of...):

poetic rhythm; prosody; rhythmic pattern ((prosody) a system of versification)

Domain category:

metrics; prosody (the study of poetic meter and the art of versification)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "meter"):

catalexis (the absence of a syllable in the last foot of a line or verse)

scansion (analysis of verse into metrical patterns)

common measure; common meter (the usual (iambic) meter of a ballad)

foot; metrical foot; metrical unit ((prosody) a group of 2 or 3 syllables forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm)

Derivation:

metrical (the rhythmic arrangement of syllables)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

Synonyms:

m; meter; metre

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("meter" is a kind of...):

metric linear unit (a linear unit of distance in metric terms)

Meronyms (parts of "meter"):

decimeter; decimetre; dm (a metric unit of length equal to one tenth of a meter)

Holonyms ("meter" is a part of...):

dam; decameter; decametre; dekameter; dekametre; dkm (a metric unit of length equal to ten meters)

Derivation:

metric; metrical (based on the meter as a standard of measurement)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Measure with a meter

Example:

meter the flow of water

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "meter" is one way to...):

measure; quantify (express as a number or measure or quantity)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

meter (any of various measuring instruments for measuring a quantity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Stamp with a meter indicating the postage

Example:

meter the mail

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "meter" is one way to...):

stamp (affix a stamp to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

A metric unit of length equal to 10E-10 meter or 0.1 nanometer.

(Angstrom, NCI Thesaurus)

A basic unit of length in the former CGS version of metric system, equal to one hundredth of a meter or approximately 0.393 700 787 inch.

(Centimeter, NCI Thesaurus)

Days times femtograms per milliliter, divided by meters squared.

(Day Times Femtogram per Milliliter per Meter Squared, NCI Thesaurus)

Days times femtograms per milliliter, divided by kilograms per meter squared.

(Day Times Femtogram per Milliliter per Kilogram per Meter Squared, NCI Thesaurus)

A SI derived unit of specific volume, a property of materials defined as the number of cubic meters occupied by one kilogram of a particular substance.

(Cubic Meter per Kilogram, NCI Thesaurus)

There are 100 centimeters in a meter and 2½ centimeters in an inch.

(Centimeter, NCI Dictionary)

Days times femtograms per milliliter (area under the curve), divided by meters squared (surface area).

(Day Times Femtogram per Milliliter per Meter Squared, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

A unit of area equal to 100 square meters.

(Are, NCI Thesaurus)

A metric unit of length equal to one quintillionth of a meter (10E-18 meter ).

(Attometer, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-SI unit of area used predominantly in nuclear physics, equal to 10E-28 square meter, or 100 square femtometers.

(Barn, NCI Thesaurus)