Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Metre

{

Me′ter

,

Me′tre

}
,
Noun.
[OE.
metre
, F.
mètre
, L.
metrum
, fr. Gr. [GREEK]; akin to Skr.
mā
to measure. See
Mete
to measure.]
1.
Rhythmical arrangement of syllables or words into verses, stanzas, strophes, etc.; poetical measure, depending on number, quantity, and accent of syllables; rhythm; measure; verse; also, any specific rhythmical arrangements;
as, the Horatian
meters
; a dactylic
meter
.
The only strict antithesis to prose is
meter
.
Wordsworth.
2.
A poem.
[Obs.]
Robynson (More’s Utopia).
3.
A measure of length, equal to 39.37 English inches, the standard of linear measure in the metric system of weights and measures. It was intended to be, and is very nearly, the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the north pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of a meridian. See
Metric system
, under
Metric
.
Common meter
(Hymnol.)
,
four iambic verses, or lines, making a stanza, the first and third having each four feet, and the second and fourth each three feet; – usually indicated by the initials C. M.
–
Long meter
(Hymnol.)
,
iambic verses or lines of four feet each, four verses usually making a stanza; – commonly indicated by the initials L. M.
–
Short meter
(Hymnol.)
,
iambic verses or lines, the first, second, and fourth having each three feet, and the third four feet. The stanza usually consists of four lines, but is sometimes doubled. Short meter is indicated by the initials S. M.

Me′tre

(mē′tẽr)
,
Noun.
See
Meter
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Metre

METRE.

[See Meter.]

Definition 2024

metre

metre

See also: métré, metré, mètre, -metre, and -mètre

English

Alternative forms

Noun

metre ‎(plural metres)

  1. The basic unit of length in the International System of Units (SI: Système International d'Unités). It is equal to 39+47⁄127 (approximately 39.37) imperial inches.
    • 1797, The Monthly magazine and British register, No. 3
      The measures of length above the metre are ten times ... greater than the metre.
    • 1873, The Young Englishwoman, April
      A dress length of 8 metres of the best quality costs 58 francs.
    • 1928, The Observer, April 15
      The 12-metre yachts ... can be sailed efficiently with four paid hands.
Usage notes
Synonyms
Derived terms
See also
  • Appendix on SI Units
External links
Translations

Verb

metre ‎(third-person singular simple present metres, present participle metring, simple past and past participle metred)

  1. (Britain, rare) Alternative spelling of meter
Usage notes

The standard spelling of the verb meaning to measure is meter throughout the English-speaking world. The use of the spelling metre for this sense (outside music and poetry) is possibly mis-spelling.

Etymology 2

From Old English, from Latin metrum, from Ancient Greek See #Etymology 1

Noun

metre ‎(plural metres) (Britain, Canada)

  1. The rhythm or measure in verse and musical composition.

Verb

metre ‎(third-person singular simple present metres, present participle metring, simple past and past participle metred)

  1. (poetry, music) To put into metrical form.
See also

Anagrams

Catalan

Etymology 1

From French mètre.

Noun

metre m ‎(plural metres)

  1. metre, meter (unit of measure, 100 cm)

Etymology 2

From Latin mittere, present active infinitive of mittō.

Verb

metre ‎(first-person singular present meto, past participle mes)

  1. to put, to place
  2. to set
Conjugation
Synonyms
Related terms

Old French

Etymology

From Latin mittere, present active infinitive of mittō.

Verb

metre

  1. to put, to place

Conjugation

This verb conjugates as a third-group verb. This verb has irregularities in its conjugation. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

    Conjugation of metre (see also Appendix:Old French verbs)
simple compound
infinitive metre avoir mis
gerund en metant Use the gerund of avoir followed by the past participle
present participle metant
past participle mis
person singular plural
first second third first second third
indicative jo tu il nos vos il
simple
tenses		 present met mez met metons metez metent
imperfect metoie, meteie metoies, meteies metoit, meteit metiiens, metiens metiiez, metiez metoient, meteient
preterite mis meṣis mist meṣimes meṣistes misdrent
future metrai metras metra metrons metroiz, metreiz, metrez metront
conditional metroie, metreie metroies, metreies metroit, metreit metriiens, metriens metriiez, metriez metroient, metreient
compound
tenses		 present perfect Use the present tense of avoir followed by the past participle
pluperfect Use the imperfect tense of avoir followed by the past participle
past anterior Use the preterite tense of avoir followed by the past participle
future perfect Use the future tense of avoir followed by the past participle
conditional perfect Use the conditional tense of avoir followed by the past participle
subjunctive que jo que tu qu’il que nos que vos qu’il
simple
tenses		 present mete metes mete metons metez metent
imperfect meṣisse meṣisses meṣist meṣissons, meṣissiens meṣissoiz, meṣissez, meṣissiez meṣissent
compound
tenses		 past Use the present subjunctive of avoir followed by the past participle
pluperfect Use the imperfect subjunctive of avoir followed by the past participle
imperative – tu – nos vos –
— met — metons metez —

Descendants

Turkish

metre

Etymology

Borrowing from French mètre.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mɛtɾɛ/

Noun

metre ‎(definite accusative metreyi, plural metreler)

  1. metre, meter (unit of measure, 100 cm)
  2. rule, folding rule

Etymology

From French mètre, from Ancient Greek μέτρον ‎(métron, “measure", "rule", "length", "size", "poetic metre”)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmiːtə(r)/

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