ells

Noun (1)

ell (plural ells)

1. (historical) A measure of length. An English ell was 1¼ yards (45 inches or 114 cm), a Scottish ell was about 37 inches (94 cm), a Flemish ell was ¾ yard (27 inches or 69 cm), while certain European ells were less than 50 cm.
   • At certain times in the ice-mountains of Switzerland there happen cracks which have shewn the great thickness of the ice, as some of these cracks have measured three or four hundred ells deep.1791, Erasmus Darwin, The Economy of Vegetation, J. Johnson, page 51

Noun (2)

ell (plural ells)

1. The name of the Latin script letter L/l. (more commonly el)
   • I have drunk en-ee-cee-tee-ay-ar from the ef-ell-oh-doubleyou-ee-ar-ess in his gee-ay-ar-dee-ee-en many a time.2004, Will Rogers, The Stonking Steps, page 170
2. An extension usually at right angles to one end of a building.
   • I could hear them snapping and tearing around, and then one managed to get on the roof by jumping from the low ell.1931, H. P. Lovecraft, chapter 4, in The Whisperer in Darkness
3. Something that is L-shaped.

See all 7 meanings of ell