do a few lengths

[newkeenlearner]

What does it mean?

I try to get to the pool once a week and do a few lengths, yes.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6min/180222_6min_english_mermaiding.pdf

I couldn't find any equivalent in dictionary. Could you please give me a reference in a dictionary?

 

[bhaisahab]

It means to swim several lengths of the pool. In other words, swim from one end of the pool to the other and back again several times.

 

[Rover_KE]

... from one end of the pool to the other ...

Most dictionaries here have that definition of length.

Bookmark the OneLook site for future reference.

 

[newkeenlearner]

Thank you Rover_KE.
I've found definition #6 in the link below:
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/length_1

 

[emsr2d2]

Which dictionaries did you look it up in before posting here?

 

[newkeenlearner]

Which dictionaries did you look it up in before posting here?

Longman Dictionary

 

[emsr2d2]

This is the online Longman Dictionary definition for the word "length". Scroll down to number 11. Did you see that one?

 

[newkeenlearner]

Yes, I saw it. I searched "do lengths". I think that's why I couldn't find its meaning in the dictionary.I also didn't know it is related to the swimming.
Thank you so much.

 

[emsr2d2]

Didn't the fact that the sentence started "I try to get to the pool once a week" give you a clue?

 

[newkeenlearner]

Unfortunately not :-(. I should have searched "swimming". I've never heard such expression.

 

[emsr2d2]

When you're looking up a whole phrase, sometimes dictionaries don't help. I just Googled "definition of swimming lengths" (without the quotation marks) and reached this page. Sometimes, Googling "definition of + phrase" is more useful.