miles

1. 1
   unit of lengthnoun

   Plural of mile.

   The trail stretches for nearly forty miles along the coast.

   Marathon runners cover just over twenty-six miles in a single race.

   UsageWhen a number and mile describe a noun, use singular mile with a hyphen: a ten-mile walk (not incorrect: a ten-miles walk).

   Note

   A regular -s plural, but the unit it counts is not always the same one. The international mile is 5,280 feet. A Scandinavian mile is ten kilometers. The Roman mile, mille passus, was 5,000 Roman feet. Frequent flyers collect airline miles, which measure loyalty rather than ground. When precision matters, say which mile you mean. Source

   Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

   • The international mile equals 5,280 feet. nist.gov
   • The modern Scandinavian mile equals ten kilometers. en.wikipedia.org
   • The Roman mile, called mille passus, equaled 5,000 Roman feet. en.wiktionary.org
   • Frequent flyers accumulate airline miles as loyalty rewards rather than literal units of distance. en.wikipedia.org
2. 2
   huge distancenouncolloquialcountable

   A long way, in terms of either physical distance or time.

   The nearest hospital was miles from the tiny mountain village.

   With so much left to do, the end of the project still feels miles away.

   UsageCommon phrases: miles away, miles from anywhere, see for miles, miss by miles.

3. 3
   by faradverb

   By a great amount; used to emphasize a comparative.

   The remastered version sounds miles clearer than the original recording.

   After a week of practice, his handwriting was miles neater than before.

   UsageGoes right before a comparative or too: miles better, miles too big.

   Similarmuch, far, way, loads

   Oppositeslightly, marginally

   Note

   In Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972), a recipe is "miles too strong," which shows it working with too as well as with comparatives. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. en.wikipedia.org
   • Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator was first published in 1972. roalddahlmuseum.org
   • The book describes a recipe as "miles too strong," using those exact words. en.wiktionary.org

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