admeasurement
C2 / Very RareFormal, Legal, Technical, Historical
Definition
Meaning
The act or process of measuring dimensions, quantity, or proportion, especially in a formal, legal, or technical context.
The result or determination of such measurement; a specific apportionment or allotment of something, often land or shares, according to a rule or standard.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a precise, often official, determination of size or share. Its usage has significantly declined and is now largely confined to specific legal/technical documents or historical texts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both varieties. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British legal or historical contexts relating to land.
Connotations
Conveys formality, precision, and often an archaic or bureaucratic tone.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general corpora. 'Measurement' or 'apportionment' are overwhelmingly preferred.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
admeasurement of [NOUN PHRASE]admeasurement for [PURPOSE]admeasurement according to [RULE/STANDARD]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually unused. 'Allocation' or 'apportionment' is standard.
Academic
Rare, found in historical or legal studies discussing land division or inheritance.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Possible in specific legal or surveying contexts, but 'measurement' is dominant.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The surveyor will admeasure the plot before the boundary dispute hearing.
American English
- The court ordered the executor to admeasure the estate assets among the heirs.
adverb
British English
- The land was divided admeasurely, according to ancient custom.
American English
- The shares were distributed admeasurely, as the will prescribed.
adjective
British English
- The admeasurement process was detailed in the medieval charter.
American English
- They followed the admeasurement guidelines set forth in the treaty.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The admeasurement of the cargo was required for customs purposes.
- The lawyer scrutinised the admeasurement of liability among the defendants, arguing it was inequitable.
- Historical records show the admeasurement of common land was a frequent source of dispute.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ADd a precise MEASUREMENT (ad-measure-ment) to make it official.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS CORRECT MEASUREMENT (as in the legal concept of fair apportionment).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'измерение' (izmereniye) which is the general 'measurement'. 'Admeasurement' is better matched by 'размерное определение', 'отвод', or 'надел' in legal/land contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a direct synonym for common 'measurement'.
- Misspelling as 'admeasuremant' or 'admesurement'.
- Assuming it is in current active use.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'admeasurement' MOST likely to be found?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and archaic. You will almost always use 'measurement', 'apportionment', or 'allocation' instead.
'Measurement' is the general act of measuring. 'Admeasurement' implies a formal, often legal or official, process of measuring for the specific purpose of apportioning or allotting shares.
Only if you are writing specifically about historical or legal concepts where the term appears in your sources. In all other cases, choose a more modern synonym.
Yes, 'to admeasure', but it is equally rare and formal.