A. that by which anything is measured:

1. measure, rule, “μέτρ᾽ ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες” Il.12.422; “ἐν μέτροισι ταμὼν δόνακας” h.Merc.47; πάντ᾽ ἄνδρα πάντων χρημάτων μ. εἶναι is a measure of all things, Pl.Tht.183c, cf. Protag. ap. Arist.Metaph.1053a36; “μ. αὐτῷ οὐχ ἡ ψυχή, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ νόμος” X.Cyr.1.3.18.

b. Math., measure, divisor, Eratosth. ap. Nicom.Ar.1.13, etc.

2. measure of content, whether solid or liquid, “δῶκεν μέθυ, χίλια μ.” Il.7.471; “εἴκοσι δ᾽ ἔστω μ. . . ἀλφίτου” Od.2.355; “ὕδατος ἀνὰ εἴκοσι μ. χεῦε” 9.209, cf. Il.23.268, 741, Hes.Op.350, 600, etc.; at Samos, of the μέδιμνος, SIG976.55 (ii B.C.); in Egypt, of the “ἀρτάβη, μ. δοχικόν” PTeb.11.6 (ii B.C.); also of smaller units, as μ. ἑξαχοίνικον ib.105.40 (ii B.C.); μέτροις καὶ σταθμοῖς by measure and weight, Decr. ap. And.1.83; in the widest sense, either weight or measure, “Φείδωνος τοῦ τὰ μ. ποιήσαντος Πελοποννησίοισι” Hdt.6.127; μ. οἰνηρά, σιτηρά, Arist.EN1135a2; “Κιλικίῳ μ. μετρεῖν” OGI579.2 (Cilicia).

3. any space measured or measurable, length, size, in pl., dimensions, μέτρα κελεύθου the length of the way, Od.4.389; “μέτρα θαλάσσης” Hes.Op.648, Orac. ap. Hdt.1.47; μορφῆς μέτρα bodily dimensions, E.Alc.1063; τὰ μ. τοῦ λίθου its distances from a given point in given directions, its position, Hdt.2.121.ά, cf. Pl.Lg. 843e, Plu.Sol.23; “ἄστρων μέτρα” S.Fr.432.8; “ἀπέχει . . θαλάσσης μέτρον ἑξήκοντα σταδίους” Th.8.95; τῷ Ἴστρῳ ἐκ τῶν ἴσων μ. ὁρμᾶται [ὁ Νεῖλος] starts from the same distances as (i.e. the position corresponding to the source of) the Ister, Hdt.2.33; “εἰδέναι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χώραν μέτρῳ καὶ τόπῳ” X.Cyr.8.5.3; “ἐντὸς τῶν μ. τετμημένον μέταλλον” Hyp.Eux.35; later of Time, duration, “μέτρα βίοιο ἄρκια” APl.4.333 (Antiphil.); ἐτέων μέτρα, ὡράων μέτρον, AP7.334,9.481; μέτρα ἐνιαυτῶν, νυκτός, Arat.464.731; “χρονικὰ μ.” Simp. in de An.299.37.

b. limit, goal, ὅρμου μ. the goal which is the mooring-place, Od.13.101; ἥβης μ. ἱκέσθαι the term which is puberty, Il.11.225, Hes. Op.132; but, ἥβης μ. ἔχειν full measure of youthful vigour, ib. 438, Thgn.1119; “σοφίης, γνωμοσύνης μ.” Sol.13.52, 16.2.

4. due measure or limit, proportion, “μέτρα φυλάσσεσθαι” Hes.Op.694; “χρὴ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν παντὸς ὁρᾶν μέτρον” Pi.P.2.34; “μέτρα μὲν γνώμᾳ διώκων, μέτρα δὲ καὶ κατέχων” Id.I.6(5).71; “κατὰ μέτρον” Hes.Op.720; “πίνειν ὑπὲρ μέτρον” Thgn.498; “προστιθεὶς μ.” A.Ch.797 (lyr.); τί μ. κακότατος ἔφυ; S.El.236 (lyr.); μ. ἔχει have a moderating power, Pl.Lg.836a; “πλέον πίνειν τοῦ μέτρου” Id.R.621a; “μ. ἔχειν” Id.Lg.957a; μέτρῳ, = μετρίως, καταβαίνειν Pi.P.8.78; “οὐδεὶς τῷ μ. τὸ πίνειν ἔστεργε” Alciphr. 3.32.

5. τίς ἱππείοις ἐν ἔντεσσιν μέτρα . . ἐπέθηκ' checks, i.e. bits, Pi.O.13.20.

II. metre, Ar.Nu.638, 641, etc.; opp. μέλος (music) and ῥυθμός (time), Pl.Grg.502c, etc.; λόγους ψιλοὺς εἰς μέτρα τιθέντες putting into verse, Id.Lg.669d; “τὰ ἐν μέτρῳ πεποιημένα ἔπη” X.Mem. 1.2.21.

2. pl., verses, Pl.Ly.205a. (I.-E. *métro-m from *métro-m 'measuring instrument', cf. Goth. mitan 'measure'.)