mile

mile

noun \ˈmī(-ə)l\

: a unit of measurement equal to 5,280 feet (about 1,609 meters)

miles : a great distance

: a race that is a mile long

Full Definition of MILE

1

:  any of various units of distance: as

a :  a unit equal to 5280 feet — see weight table

b :  nautical mile

2

:  a race of a mile

3

:  a relatively great distance, degree, or interval —used chiefly adverbially in plural <was miles ahead of them in education>

— a mile a minute

:  with great speed <talking a mile a minute>

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Examples of MILE

1. We passed mile after mile of beautiful scenery as we drove through the country.
2. We traveled over miles of dirt road.
3. The car was traveling at 70 miles per hour.
4. We were miles from home.
5. We still have miles to go.
6. The beach stretched on for miles and miles.

Origin of MILE

Middle English, from Old English mīl, from Latin milia miles, from milia passuum, literally, thousands of paces, from milia, plural of mille thousand

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to MILE

Synonyms

afar, country mile, far cry, long haul

Antonyms

hair, inch, step, stone's throw

Related Words

infinity, light-year

Rhymes with MILE

dial, file, isle, pile, smile, spile, stile, style, tile, trial, while, wile

mile

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of various units of distance, including the statute mile of 5,280 ft (1.61 km). It originated from the Roman mille passus, or “thousand paces,” which measured 5,000 Roman ft (4,840 English ft [1.475 km]). A nautical mile is the length on the Earth's surface of one minute of arc or, by international definition, 1,852 m (6,076.12 ft [1.1508 statute mi]); it remains in universal use in both marine and air transportation. A knot is one nautical mile per hour. See also International System of Units; metric system.