/ ɪkˈstent; NAmE / noun [ sing. , U ]
1.
how large, important, serious, etc. sth is :
It is difficult to assess the full extent of the damage.
She was exaggerating the true extent of the problem.
I was amazed at the extent of his knowledge.
2.
the physical size of an area :
You can't see the full extent of the beach from here.
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IDIOMS
- to ... extent
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense valuation of property, especially for taxation ): from Anglo-Norman French extente , from medieval Latin extenta , feminine past participle of Latin extendere stretch out, from ex- out + tendere stretch.