Definition of: range

(rānj) noun
1. The area over which anything moves, operates, or is distributed.
2. U.S. An extensive tract of land over which cattle, sheep, etc., roam and graze.
3. U.S. Pasturage; grazing ground.
4. Bot. & Zool. The geographical area throughout which a specific plant or animal exists.
5. The extent or scope of something: the whole range of politics.
6. The extent to which any power can be made effective: range of vision; range of influence.
7. The extent of variation of anything: the temperature range.
8. The extent of possible variation in pitch: said of musical instruments or the voice.
9. A line, row, or series, as of mountains.
10. U.S. A row of townships, each six miles square, numbered east or west from a base meridian.
11. Rare Rank; order.
12. The horizontal distance between a gun and its target.
13. The horizontal distance covered by a projectile.
14. A place for shooting at a mark: a rifle range.
15. In archery, the number of ends shot at each given distance: compare ROUND.
16. A large cooking stove for conducting several cooking operations at one time.
17. Stat. The inclusive difference between the extreme values in any series of variable data: a range of 20 from a value of 0 to a value of 19.
—adjective Of or pertaining to a range.
—v. ranged, rang·ing v.t.
1. To place or arrange in definite order, as in rows or lines.
2. To assign to a class, division, or category; classify; rank.
3. To move about or over (a region, etc.), as in exploration.
4. To put (cattle) to graze on a range.
5. Mil. To obtain the range of (a target) by firing alternately above and below it.
6. To place in position; adjust or train, as a telescope or gun.
7. Naut. To lay out (the anchor cable) on deck so that the anchor may descend without hindrance.
—v.i.
8. To move over an area in a thorough, systematic manner, as a dog hunting game.
9. To rove; roam.
10. To occur; extend; be found: said of plants and animals.
11. To extend or proceed: The shot ranged to the right.
12. To exhibit variation within specified limits: weights ranging from 20 to 50 pounds.
13. To lie in the same direction, line, etc.
14. Mil. To be capable of achieving a specified range (def. 12): That old cannon ranged about one mile. See synonyms under RAMBLE, WANDER. [<OF <ranger, rengier arrange <renc row <Gmc. Doublet of RANK¹.]