lengthened

Everyday

1. Lengthened means made longer, or became longer. tree →
2. Lengthened can describe time: days lengthen in spring, a lesson can be lengthened. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons days lengthen in spring and summer as the Earth's tilt points our hemisphere towards the Sun. In everyday life a tailor lengthens trousers, and a school can lengthen its break. In maths a lengthened side changes the perimeter and area. Phrases: «lengthened shadows», «the days lengthened».

Examples

• Gran lengthened my school skirt because I had grown. tree →
• The days lengthened as spring came. tree →
• The shadows lengthened in the evening sun. tree →
• The playtime was lengthened by ten minutes. tree →
• The bridge was lengthened to cross the wider river. tree →
• When each side of the square was lengthened by 2 cm, its perimeter grew by 8 cm. tree →
• He returned after a lengthened absence, and sat down wearily upon his throne. tree →

Note

From «length» + «-en» (to make). Spelled «lengthened» with «-ened». Opposite: «shortened». In maths problems: lengthening each side of a square by 2 cm adds 8 cm to the perimeter (4 sides × 2 cm), but the area grows more than you might guess.