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Marathon

//ˈmæɹəˌθɑn// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A town in Attica, Greece, the site of the victory in 490 BC of heavily outnumbered Athenians against Persians.
  2. 2
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A rural town in the Shire of Flinders, northern Queensland, Australia.
  3. 3
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A town in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada.
  4. 4
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A city in the Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida.
  5. 5
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A minor city in Buena Vista County, Iowa.
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  1. 6
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A township in Lapeer County, Michigan.
  2. 7
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A town and village therein, in Cortland County, New York.
  3. 8
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Clermont County, Ohio.
  4. 9
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Brewster County, Texas.
  5. 10
    A place name elsewhere in the world:; A number of places in the United States:; A town in Marathon County, Wisconsin.
Noun
  1. 1
    A 42.195-kilometre (26-mile-385-yard) road race.
  2. 2
    Former name of Snickers (“chocolate bar brand”).
  3. 3
    any long and arduous undertaking wordnet
  4. 4
    Any extended or sustained activity. broadly, figuratively

    "He had a cleaning marathon the night before his girlfriend came over."

  5. 5
    a footrace of 26 miles 385 yards wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To run a marathon. intransitive

    "In less than two years, they and their family and friends have skydived, marathoned, tray-baked and dinner-danced their way to £130,000 for Duchenne research through their help4harry campaign."

  2. 2
    To watch or read a large number of instalments of (a film, book, TV series, etc.) in one sitting. informal, transitive

    "We're going to marathon Star Trek next weekend."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From French marathon, coined in 1894 by linguist Michel Bréal for the first modern time Olympic Games after Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn), a town northeast of Athens. Phidippides the Greek ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message regarding the Battle of Marathon. The modern sport of marathon running is based on a run approximately the same distance. The toponym itself comes from μάραθον (márathon, “fennel”) and refers to the prevalence of the plant in the area.

Etymology 2

From French marathon, coined in 1894 by linguist Michel Bréal for the first modern time Olympic Games after Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn), a town northeast of Athens. Phidippides the Greek ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message regarding the Battle of Marathon. The modern sport of marathon running is based on a run approximately the same distance. The toponym itself comes from μάραθον (márathon, “fennel”) and refers to the prevalence of the plant in the area.

Etymology 3

From Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn). Doublet of marathon.

Etymology 4

From Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn). Doublet of marathon.

See also for "marathon"

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