also metre, "poetic measure," Old English meter "meter, versification," from Latin metrum, from Greek metron "meter, a verse; that by which anything is measured; measure, length, size, limit, proportion," from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure" (see meter (n.2)). Possibly reborrowed early 14c. (after a 300-year gap in recorded use) from Old French metre, with specific sense of "metrical scheme in verse," from Latin metrum.
meter (n.2)
also metre, unit of length, 1797, from French mètre (18c.), from Greek metron "measure," from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure" (cognates: Greek metra "lot, portion," Sanskrit mati "measures," matra "measure," Avestan, Old Persian ma-, Latin metri "to measure"). Developed by French Academy of Sciences for system of weights and measures based on a decimal system originated 1670 by French clergyman Gabriel Mouton. Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the length of a quadrant of the meridian.
meter (n.3)
"device for measuring," abstracted 1832 from gas-meter, etc., from French -mètre, used in combinations (in English from 1790), from Latin metrum "measure" or cognate Greek metron "measure" (see meter (n.2)). Influenced by English meter "person who measures" (late 14c., agent noun from mete (v.)). As short for parking meter from 1960. Meter maid first recorded 1957; meter reader 1963.
meter (v.)
"to measure by means of a meter," 1884, from meter (n.3). Meaning "install parking meters" is from 1957.
双语例句
1. Only a third of these households thought it reasonable to meter water.
这些家庭当中只有三分之一认为用水表计量是合理的。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They have the right to come in and inspect the meter.
他们有权进来查表。
来自柯林斯例句
3. A man came to read the gas meter.
有位男子来查过煤气表。
来自《权威词典》
4. Space the desk a meter apart so that the pupils can't cheat.
把桌子按一米的间隔摆开以防学生作弊.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. He walked away from all his competitors in the 3000 - meter race.