Definition of furlong
: a unit of distance equal to 220 yards (about 201 meters)
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Recent Examples of furlong from the Web
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Noble Indy got passed by Lone Sailor in the final furlong of the Louisiana Derby before battling back along the rail to win.
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Always Dreaming appeared to be setting up a perfect stalking trip but Conquest Big E kept edging away and inside the final furlong had enough of a lead to bring home the win in a time of 1:35.92.
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Winner: Andina Del Sur ($28.20) Aqueduct: Grade 3 $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap, 4 and up, 6 furlongs.
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Can Strike Power do well in his first try going farther than seven furlongs?
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Wings Locked Up held his advantage throughout the six furlongs.
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In the Ginger Brew Stakes, Thewayiam showed a quick turn of foot in deep stretch to dash between rivals and win the 7 1/2 furlong race in 1:30.19.
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Two 6 furlong stakes for 3-year-olds rounded out Saturday’s stakes card.
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The other major stakes are the Grade 2 $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile (sixth race, 2:30 p.m.) over the turf and the Grade 1 $300,000 Malibu Stakes (eighth race, 3:30 p.m.) for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'furlong.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
furlong Has Old English Roots
Furlong is an English original and can be traced back to Old English "furlang," a combination of the noun "furh" ("furrow") and the adjective "lang" ("long"). Though now standardized as a length of 220 yards (or 1/8th of a mile), the furlong was originally defined less precisely as the length of a furrow in a cultivated field. This length was equal to the long side of an acre-an area originally defined as the amount of arable land that could be plowed by a yoke of oxen in a day, but later standardized as an area measuring 220 yards (one furlong) by 22 yards, and now defined as any area measuring 4,840 square yards. In contemporary usage, "furlong" is often encountered in references to horse racing.
Origin and Etymology of furlong
Middle English, from Old English furlang, from furh furrow + lang long
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First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined above
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Definition of furlong for English Language Learners
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: a unit of distance equal to 220 yards (about 201.2 meters) or 1/8 of a mile
FURLONG Defined for Kids
Definition of furlong for Students
: a unit of length equal to 220 yards (about 201 meters)
Learn More about furlong
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See words that rhyme with furlong Spanish Central: Translation of furlong Nglish: Translation of furlong for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of furlong for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about furlong
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