Antonyms for ell

Grammar : Noun

Spell : el

Phonetic Transcription : ɛl

Definition of ell

Origin : "unit of measure of 45 inches," Old English eln, originally "forearm, length of the arm" (as a measure, anywhere from a foot and a half to two feet), from PIE *el- (1) "elbow, forearm" (cf. Greek olene "elbow," Latin ulna, Armenian uln "shoulder," Sanskrit anih "part of the leg above the knee," Lithuanian alkune "elbow").
The exact distance varied, depending on whose arm was used as the base and whether it was measured from the shoulder to the fingertip or the wrist: the Scottish ell was 37.2 inches, the Flemish 27 inches. Latin ulna also was a unit of linear measure, and cf. cubit.
Whereas shee tooke an inche of liberty before, tooke an ell afterwardes [Humfrey Gifford, "A Posie of Gilloflowers," 1580].

As in arm : noun subdivision, annex
As in wing : noun section; extension
As in annex : noun something added; extension

Example sentences :

At Lyons, material was sometimes sold for as much as six hundred francs an ell.
Extract from : « The Dream » by Emile Zola

Gawd love you, guv'nor, they'd fight 'ell's blazes, them chaps would!
Extract from : « Changing Winds » by St. John G. Ervine

The ell is used as a kitchen, dining-room and storehouse combined.
Extract from : « Chit-Chat; Nirvana; The Searchlight » by Mathew Joseph Holt

The room was a fairly large one, situated in an ell at the rear of the building.
Extract from : « The Film of Fear » by Arnold Fredericks

Back of the main portion of the saloon was an ell, and it was in this ell that the fire had started.
Extract from : « Cap'n Eri » by Joseph Crosby Lincoln

Thirty feet by twelve, and an ell for cooking and an ell for stowage.
Extract from : « Two Arrows » by William O. Stoddard

There 's a leetle word as begins with L. L, I mean, not 'ell.
Extract from : « Wappin' Wharf » by Charles S. Brooks

E sent Donnelly to 'ell, and 'e's sending me there, too, curse 'im!
Extract from : « Tessa » by Louis Becke

"Give her an inch, and she'll take an ell," she had said to herself.
Extract from : « Jewel » by Clara Louise Burnham

Ere, said he at last, jerking his head and rubbing his jaw, how the ell did you do it?
Extract from : « The Rough Road » by William John Locke

Synonyms for ell

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019