Crossword clues for furlong
furlong
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Furlong \Fur"long\, n. [OE. furlong, furlang, AS. furlang, furlung, prop., the length of a furrow; furh furrow + lang long. See Furrow, and Long, a.] A measure of length; the eighth part of a mile; forty rods; two hundred and twenty yards.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
measure of distance of roughly 660 feet, from Old English furlang, originally the length of a furrow in a common field of 10 acres, from furh "furrow" (see furrow (n.)) + lang "long" (see long (adj.)). The "acre" of the common field being variously measured, the furlong varied but eventually was fixed by custom at 40 rods. Used from 9c. to translate Latin stadium (625 feet), one-eighth of a Roman mile, and so the English word came to be used for "one-eighth of an English mile," though this led to a different measure for the English mile than the Roman one. Furlong being so important in land deed records (where mile hardly figures) it was thought best to redefine the mile rather than the furlong, which was done under Elizabeth I.
Wiktionary
n. (context archaic English) A unit of length equal to 220 yards or exactly 201.168 meters, now only used in measuring distances in horse racing.
WordNet
n. a unit of length equal to 220 yards
Wikipedia
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, or 10 chains. Using the international definition of the inch as exactly 25.4 millimetres, one furlong is 201.168 metres. However, the United States does not uniformly use this conversion ratio. Older ratios are in use for surveying purposes in some states, leading to variations in the length of the furlong of about two parts per million, or 0.4 millimetres ( inch). This variation is too small to have many practical consequences. Five furlongs are about 1.0 kilometre (1.00584 km is the exact value, according to the international conversion).
A furlong is a unit of measurement equal to one-eighth of a mile.
Furlong may also refer to:
- Furlong (surname), a list of individuals with the surname
- Furlong, Pennsylvania, a village in Doylestown Township
Furlong is an Irish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
- Aaron Henry Furlong (born 1967), American jewellery designer
- Allan Furlong (born 1942), Canadian politician
- Campbell Furlong (born 1974), New Zealand cricketer
- Charles W. Furlong (1874–1967), American explorer
- Darnell Furlong (born 1995), English footballer
- Dennis Furlong (born 1945), Canadian politician
- Edward Furlong (born 1977), American actor
- Grant Furlong (1886-1973), American politician
- Jim Furlong (football) (born 1940), Canadian football linebacker
- John Furlong (American actor) (1933-2008), American actor
- John Furlong (Canadian) (born 1950), CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
- Monica Furlong (1930-2003), British author, journalist and activist
- Nicholas Furlong (born 1929), Irish journalist and historian
- Nicola Furlong, Canadian novelist
- Nicola Furlong
- Noel Furlong (born 1937), Irish poker player
- Oscar Furlong (born 1927), Argentine basketball player
- Paul Furlong (born 1968), English footballer
- Rob Furlong (born 1976), Canadian sniper who holds the record for the longest sniper kill in combat
Fictional characters:
- Father Noel Furlong, from the sitcom Father Ted
Usage examples of "furlong".
I could only imagine the appeal that the Furlongs would have held for him, perhaps not only for the ambitious and avaricious reasons my friends and I had discussed just a few hours before while we sat on the dock, but as part of a far more human desire to be a member of a real family.
Let vs returne then to the huge Pyramides, standing vpon a strong and sound plynth or foure square foote, fourteene paces in heigth, and in length sixe furlongs, which was the foundation and bottom of the weightie pyramides, which I perswaded my selfe was not brought from any other place, but euen with plaine labour and workemanship hewen out of the selfe same mountaines, and reduced to this figure and proportion in his owne proper place.
Tryin tae compose masel, ah start telling her the story about Topsy n me playing cairds oan the Last Furlong bus, going to see Hearts away.
From this Mitylene some twenty furlongs, there lay a Mannor of a certain rich Lord, the most sweet and pleasant prospect under all the Eyes of Heaven.
Also rusting oil drums, red polythene cans of chain-oil and furlongs of steel cable lying like a fossilised snake beside the road.
Soon after this, a furlong way or two, He privily hath told all his intent Unto a man, and to his wife him sent.
Furlong County General Hospital for the occasion, and Rachmed Baya Bam helped roll him down the ramps in his wheel chair.
After zigging through a bombproof furlong of roof, he was dropping into a large twilit cave.
Two more miles were done, and scarce seven furlongs from them they saw the broad mouth of the bridge, while the towers of Emesa beyond seemed so close that in this clear air they could discern the watchmen outlined against the sky.
The Papago kid scampered ahead for a few furlongs, and then suddenly vanished sideways into a thick clump of jumping cholia that common sense said no naked human hide had any business in.
A vast pulpy mass, furlongs in length and breadth, of a glancing cream-color, lay floating on the water, innumerable long arms radiating from its centre, and curling and twisting like a nest of anacondas, as if blindly to clutch at any hapless object within reach.
Madoc went ashore with hunters, expecting the cattlelike beasts to be easy prey, but they were so wary and swift that he could not get within a furlong of them, and could only admire them for their powerful and shapely forms, and note that they were shadowed by packs of wolves.
Her willing workers had the mythical faithful darkies of the Dixie that never was beat by a furlong at anticipating wishes.
Longarm agreed they were at least a couple of furlongs east of the line, and explained they were looking for a spread that branded with either an inverted sombero or a cabeza de vaca chongo.
There were strong, well-trained muscles under those silken tunics, hard bodies that saw furlongs of patrolling every day.