Question 1 · Quick check
ell
CEFRC2
/ˈɛl/
noun
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
noun
A measurement formerly equal to the length of a person's arm.
- 02
noun
Extra detailAn extension usually at right angles to one end of a building.
Examples
Have you seen the ell on that house?
A homely proverb recognises the existence of a troublesome class of persons who, having an inch conceded them, will take an ell.
At a glance
Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 1
- Citations
- 5
Deep Dive
noun
Extra meaningsThe name of the Latin script letter L/l. (more commonly el)
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.
Something that is L-shaped.
More examples
In contextAt 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.
I could hear them snapping and tearing around, and then one managed to get on the roof by jumping from the low ell.
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.
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.
Nearby
Origin
noun
From Middle English elle, elne, from Old English eln (“the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger; a unit of measure”), from Proto-West Germanic *alinu, from Proto-Germanic *alinō, from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l-én-eh₂, from *Heh₃l- (“elbow, forearm”). Cognate with Dutch el (“ell”), German Low German Ell (“ell”), German Elle (“ell”), Swedish aln (“cubit; ell”), Icelandic alin (“cubit; ell”), Latin ulna (“forearm”).