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Four-long measure

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A metrical unit consisting of four consecutive long or stressed syllables

Detailed Definition
Four-long measure is a metrical unit consisting of four long or stressed syllables. In quantitative verse systems, this creates a heavy, emphatic foot or measure; in accentual systems, it produces concentrated stress that slows reading and adds weight or solemnity to the line.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ancient Greek poetry with four long syllables; Latin verse using quadruple length; Classical meter with sustained heavy stress; Four-long sequences in quantitative verse
Additional Notes
Classical prosody term for four consecutive long syllables. Creates maximum weight in quantitative meter. Rare in stress-based English prosody.
Also Known As
Four-stressed line Quadruple-long measure Tetrameter line Dispondee Quadruple length
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