log
/lɔɡ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.37 in modern English
4
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A unit of length equivalent to 16 feet, used for measuring timber, especially the trunk of a tree.
Example Sentences
- "They walked across the stream on a fallen log."
- "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
- "3. An apparatus for cutting a log of paper or the like into a plurality of sections of predetermined length[.]"
- "Dip both sides in the sauce on the plate and then arrange a log of cheese filling down the middle of the tortilla."
- "2. Apply a light film of hand balm in the mold. Roll a log of metal clay and press it into the mold channel (b)."
- "1659, Navigation by the Mariners Plain Scale New Plain'd, by John Collins Every Noon the Master and his Mates take the reckoning off the Log-board, and double the Knots run, and then divide the Product, which is the number of Miles run by three, the quotient is the Leagues run since the former Noon, and according to custom the Log is thrown every two hours, and I never knew the course nearer expressed on the Log-board, then to half a point of the Compass."
Etymology
From Middle English logge, logg (first recorded in Anglo-Latin as loggum), of uncertain origin, but probably from Old Norse lóg, lág (“felled tree, log”), derived from Old Norse liggja (“to lie”). If so, then cognate with Norwegian låg (“fallen tree”), Dutch loog (“wood, timber, lumber”). Alternatively, directly from Norwegian låg (“fallen tree”), which could have been borrowed through the Norwegian timber trade. However the Old Norse/Middle Norwegian vowel is long while Middle English vowel is short.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /lɔɡ/
- British English: /lɒɡ/