furlongs

Noun

furlong (plural furlongs or (archaic) furlong)

1. A unit of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile (220 yards, or 201.168 metres), now mainly used in measuring distances in farmland and horse racing.
   • Novv vvould I giue a thouſand furlongs of Sea, for an Acre of barren ground: Long heath, Brovvne firrs, any thing; the vvills aboue be done, but I vvould faine dye a dry death.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
2. (dated) A unit of land area one furlong (sense 1) square (ten acres, or about four hectares).
3. (UK, dated, dialectal) An undefined portion of an unenclosed field.
4. (historical) Synonym of stadion (“a Greek unit of distance based on standardized footraces, equivalent to about 185.4 metres”).

   Synonyms:

   stade, stadium, stadion

5. (dialectal, obsolete except UK) Synonym of headland (“unploughed boundary of a field”).

   Synonyms:

   headland

6. (dialectal, obsolete except UK) Synonym of land (“the ground left unploughed between furrows”).

   Synonyms:

   land

See all 9 meanings of furlong