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NL888 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Should "stout" be "short" here?

a length can be long or short, not thick or stout.
Do you agree with me?

Context:

plank
n.
1. a stout length of sawn timber; made in a wide variety of sizes and used for many purposes
  

Top answer

NL888 a length can be long or short, not thick or stout. Do you agree with me? No.

— Avangi

  • NL888 a length can be long or short, not thick or stout.
  • Do you agree with me?
  • No.
  • It can be one, or it can be the other.
  • "Length" can be countable or uncountable.
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2 Answers
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NL888a length can be long or short, not thick or stout. Do you agree with me?
No. It can be one, or it can be the other.

"Length" can be countable or uncountable.
In your examples, the countable sense is used.

I believe that in your mind, you're thinking in terms of the uncountable sense.

countable -- Please hand me a length
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NL888a length can be long or short, not thick or stout. Do you agree with me?
That "length" does not mean what you think it does (5.b. a piece constituting or usable as part of a whole or of a connected series : section <a length of pipe>). "A stout length" in your example means
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