noun
furlong
FUR-long
noun
1
A unit of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile (about 201 meters), used mainly in horse racing and farmland measurement.
"The final furlong of the race saw the two horses neck and neck."
How to Use Furlong
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA distance measurement (one-eighth of a mile) mostly kept alive today in horse racing commentary.
Common pairings
final furlong
a furlong from the finish
Word Forms
furlongs plural, furlong plural, Furlongs plural
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The final _____ of the race saw the two horses neck and neck.
Etymology
From Old English furlang, a compound of furh ("furrow") and lang ("long") — originally the standard length of a plowed furrow.