toise

[ toiz ]

noun

1. an old French unit of length equivalent to 6.395 feet (1.949 meters).

Word History and Origins

Origin of toise¹

1590–1600; < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *tēsa, (feminine singular), Latin tēnsa ( bracchia ) outstretched (arms), neuter plural taken as feminine singular See tense ¹

Example Sentences

"Well pitched, Hugh of Clatford," cried the old knight; "well pitched; a toise beyond Sir Simeon."

From Project Gutenberg

"If you do, I will beat you by a toise," replied Hal of Hadnock, laughing.

From Project Gutenberg

En l’an 1429 le cordelier Richard preschant aux Innocens estoit monté sur ung hault eschaffaut qui estoit près de toise et demie de hault, le dos tourné vers les charniers encontre la charounerie, à l’endroit de la danse Macabre.”

From Project Gutenberg

Riv′er-jack, the common water-snake of Europe; Riv′er-man, one who makes his livelihood by dragging the river for sunken goods; River-muss′el, a fresh-water mussel; Riv′er-ott′er, the common European otter; Riv′er-perch, a Californian surf-fish; Riv′er-pie, the water-ousel; Riv′er-shore, the shore or bank of a river; Riv′er-side, the bank of a river; Riv′er-smelt, the gudgeon; Riv′er-snail, a pond snail; Riv′er-swall′ow, the sand-martin; Riv′er-tide, the tide from the sea rising or ebbing in a river; Riv′er-tor′toise, a soft-shelled turtle; Riv′er-wall, a wall made to confine the waters of a river within definite bounds.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

In Market Square, Philadelphia, land was worth from 3,000 to 4,000 francs per sq. toise, and in Wall Street, New York, about 4,000 francs.

From Project Gutenberg