area

noun

1. A measure of the extent of a surface; it is measured in square units.

   “It is about 4.5 million square kilometers in area and holds the world’s third largest collection of ice after Antarctica and Greenland.”

2. A particular geographic region.

   “Eggimann used a computer algorithm to analyze data from the open-source geographic database OpenStreetMap and automatically detect areas with the superblock potential. He applied this analysis to 5 km x 5 km areas of the city center in 18 different cities around the world.”

3. Any particular extent of surface, especially an empty or unused extent.

   “The photo is a little dark in that area.”

4. The extent, scope, or range of an object or concept.

   “The plans are a bit vague in that area.”

   “Today, a new area of research that similarly aims to mimic a complex biological phenomenon—life itself—is taking off. Synthetic biology, a seductive experimental subfield in the life sciences, seems tantalizingly to promise custom-designed life created in the laboratory.”

   “The Green-Tao theorem on primes was a similar collaboration. Green is a specialist in an area called number theory, and Tao originally trained in an area called harmonic analysis.”

5. (British)An open space, below ground level, giving access to the basement of a house, and typically separated from the pavement by railings.

   “A boy seized it, whom she bribed with a shilling to relinquish his prize, which she was taking home, when it escaped from her hand, and fell down the area of a house.”

   “This was so favourably received by the milkman and beadle that he would immediately have been pushed into the area if I had not held his pinafore while Richard and Mr. Guppy ran down through the kitchen to catch him when he should be released.”

   “He crept down the back stairs; but as he could not quite condescend to escape through the area, he was forced to emerge upon the hall, and here his aunt pounced upon him, coming out of the breakfast-parlour.”

   “A minute later we were both in the area. Hardly had we reached the dark shadows before the step of the policeman was heard in the fog above. As its soft rhythm died away, Holmes set to work upon the lower door. I saw him stoop and strain until with a sharp crash it flew open. We sprang through into the dark passage, closing the area door behind us.”

6. Penalty box; penalty area.

   “Bendtner's goal-bound shot was well saved by goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi but fell to Arsahvin on the edge of the area and the Russian swivelled, shaped his body and angled a sumptuous volley into the corner.”

7. (slang)Genitals.

   “But what do I do when the third one runs at me with his bike helmet on? I got no more hands to protect my area!”