n.
- the area of variation between limits on a particular scale.
- a set of different things of the same general type:
a wide range of banking services.
- the scope or extent of a person's or thing's abilities or capacity.
- the distance within which a sense, detector, transmitter, etc. is effective.
▸the distance that can be covered by a vehicle or aircraft without refuelling.
▸the distance attained or attainable by a gun, projectile, etc.
▸the distance between a camera and the subject to be photographed.
- a line or series of mountains or hills.
- a large area of open land for grazing or hunting.
▸the area over which a plant or animal is distributed.
- an area used as a testing ground for military equipment.
▸
(also shooting range)
an area with targets for shooting practice.
- a large cooking stove with several burners or hotplates.
v.
- vary or extend between specified limits.
- place or arrange in a row or rows or in a specified manner.
▸run or extend in a line in a particular direction.
▸Brit. Printing (with reference to type) align or be aligned at the ends of successive lines.
-
(range someone against or be ranged against)
place someone or be placed in opposition to.
- travel or wander over a wide area.
- cover a wide number of different topics.
- find the range of a target.
- (with reference to a projectile) send or be sent a specified distance.
Etymology
ME (in the sense ‘line of people or animals’): from OFr. range ‘row, rank’, from rangier ‘put in order’, from rang ‘rank’.