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meter

The machine at the parking space that takes your quarters is a meter. A meter is also a way of organizing and counting beats in poetry or music, and in the metric system, a meter is roughly equal to a yard.

Despite the fact that meter has many uses, they all relate to the same things: counting and measuring. The parking meter measures how long you've been parked, while a car's speedometer measures speed. Meters and kilometers measure distance. In music and poetry, the meter is the rhythm or beat. English poetry, such as the work of Shakespeare, uses a meter called iambic pentameter, which sounds like da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: meter

1	n v	the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards) measure with a meter
2	n	rhythm as given by division into parts of equal duration
3	v	stamp with a meter indicating the postage

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: meter

n the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

Synonyms:: m, metre

Type of:: metric linear unit
a linear unit of distance in metric terms

n any of various measuring instruments for measuring a quantity

Types:: show 26 types...; hide 26 types...; ammeter
a meter that measures the flow of electrical current in amperes; electric meter, power meter
a meter for measuring the amount of electric power used; electrometer
meter to measure electrostatic voltage differences; draws no current from the source; fluxmeter
meter that measures magnetic flux by the current it generates in a coil; galvanometer
meter for detecting or comparing or measuring small electric currents; gas meter, gasometer
a meter for measuring the amount of gas flowing through a particular pipe; gaussmeter, magnetometer
a meter to compare strengths of magnetic fields; hodometer, mileometer, milometer, odometer
a meter that shows mileage traversed; ohmmeter
a meter for measuring electrical resistance in ohms; postage meter
meter for bulk mailings that imprints correct prepaid postage on pieces of mail and records the total charge; radiometer
meter to detect and measure radiant energy (electromagnetic or acoustic); reflectometer
a meter that measures the reflectance of a surface; speed indicator, speedometer
a meter fixed to a vehicle that measures and displays its speed; taximeter
a meter in a taxi that registers the fare (based on the length of the ride); voltmeter
meter that measures the potential difference between two points; volumeter
a meter to measure the volume of gases, liquids, or solids (either directly or by displacement); water meter
meter for measuring the quantity of water passing through a particular outlet; astatic galvanometer
has a moving magnet and astatic coils arranged to cancel the effect of the Earth's magnetic field; Crookes radiometer
electromagnetic radiometer consisting of a small paddlewheel that rotates when placed in daylight; electronic voltmeter
a voltmeter whose sensitivity is increased by amplification; machmeter
speedometer for measuring the speed of an aircraft relative to the speed of sound; milliammeter
a sensitive ammeter graduated in milliamperes; millivoltmeter
sensitive voltmeter that can measure voltage in millivolts; moving-coil galvanometer
a galvanometer that is operated by the force exerted by an electric current flowing in a movable coil suspended in a magnetic field; radiomicrometer
radiometer that is extremely sensitive; Rayleigh disk
an acoustic radiometer consisting of a light disk suspended from a quartz thread; when exposed to a progressive sound wave its torque can measure velocity

Type of:: measuring device, measuring instrument, measuring system
instrument that shows the extent or amount or quantity or degree of something

v measure with a meter

“meter the flow of water”

Type of:: measure, quantify
express as a number or measure or quantity

n rhythm as given by division into parts of equal duration

Synonyms:: metre, time

Type of:: rhythmicity
the rhythmic property imparted by the accents and relative durations of notes in a piece of music

n (prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse

Synonyms:: beat, cadence, measure, metre

Types:: show 11 types...; hide 11 types...; catalexis
the absence of a syllable in the last foot of a line or verse; scansion
analysis of verse into metrical patterns; common measure, common meter
the usual (iambic) meter of a ballad; foot, metrical foot, metrical unit
(prosody) a group of 2 or 3 syllables forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm; dactyl
a metrical unit with stressed-unstressed-unstressed syllables; iamb, iambus
a metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables; anapaest, anapest
a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed-stressed syllables; amphibrach
a metrical unit with unstressed-stressed-unstressed syllables (e.g., `remember'); trochee
a metrical unit with stressed-unstressed syllables; spondee
a metrical unit with stressed-stressed syllables; dibrach, pyrrhic
a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed syllables

Type of:: poetic rhythm, prosody, rhythmic pattern
(prosody) a system of versification

v stamp with a meter indicating the postage

“meter the mail”

Type of:: stamp
affix a stamp to

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