/dɪ'menʃn, daɪ-; də`mɛnʃən, daɪ-/ n
1 [C, U] measurement of any sort (breadth, length, thickness, height, etc) （空间的）任何一种量度（宽度、长度、厚度、高度等）
*What are the dimensions of the room? 这房间的面积是多少? =>App
4 见附录4. => illus 见插图.
2 dimensions [pl] size; extent 大小; 体积; 程度; 范围
*a creature of huge dimensions 体形庞大的动物
* (fig 比喻) I did not realized the dimensions of the problem. 我未曾意识到问题的严重程度.
3 [C] (fig 比喻) aspect 方面; 侧面
*There is a dimension to the problem that we have not discussed. 这问题还有一方面我们没讨论过.

NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*
1 It is sometimes difficult to decide whether length (adj long), width (adj wide) or depth (adj deep) is the correct term for a particular measurement. 对于物体某一边的量度, 在length (adj long)、width (adj wide)或depth (adj deep)中选用哪个才对, 有时颇难确定. The measurements of a room or of a rectangular area or object are the length (measured along the longer sides) and the width (measured along the shorter sides) 量度房间或长方形的面积或物体, 用length（长度, 沿较长的边量得）和width（宽度, 沿较短的边量得）表示
*The garage is
6 metres long and
3 metres wide. 汽车房长6米, 宽3米. When describing a piece of furniture that has a front and a back, both length and width can be used for the longer sides and depth is used for the measurement from front to back. 在形容一件有前後之分的家具时, length和width均可用以指较长的边, 而depth（深度）则指从前面到後面的尺寸. Length is generally used when the measurement of the front is much greater than that of the depth. 若前面的长短远远超过深度, 一般用length. *Width is used when the measurements of the front and of the depth are similar. 若前面的长短与深度相似, 则用width. (See illustration 见插图. )
2 Compare wide and broad. 试比较wide和broad. Wide is the more general word but broad is used of parts of the body *wide适用范围较广, broad则特指身体的部位
*a broad nose 大鼻子
* broad shoulders 宽阔的双肩. Otherwise it is more formal than wide and is often used, especially in literary language, to describe features of the landscape 在其他情况下, broad比wide更文雅, 尤其在文学语言中常用以描绘景色
*a broad river 宽阔的河
* a broad expanse of unspoilt country 一片广袤的、自然美未受破坏的郊野.

n[C]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French;Origin:Latin dimetiri 'to measure out']
a part of a situation or a quality involved in it
= aspectdimension of
　the moral dimension of world politics
add a new/an extra/another etc dimension (to sth)
　His coaching has added another dimension to my game.
political/social/economic etc dimension
　It is important to keep in mind the historical dimension to these issues.
　You can have a spiritual dimension to your life without being religious.
[usually plural]
the length, height, width, depth, or diameter of something
　a rectangle with the dimensions 5cm x 2cm
dimension of
　We'll need to know the exact dimensions of the room.
a direction in space that is at an angle of 90 degrees to two other directions
　A diagram represents things in only two dimensions.
→fourth dimension, three-dimensional, two-dimensional
dimensions [plural]
how great or serious a problem is
　We're heading for a catastrophe of enormous dimensions.