tape measure

In the moral world—so far as it is a world of great achievement—the tape-measure is out of place.

A tape measure furnished certain distances which were recorded upon the back of an envelope.

In the computation of avoirdupois and of the tape-measure, this was the greatest figure that ever travelled the Great North Road.

We have been putting our tape-measure about it, and find it forty-three inches in girth; and for shapely beauty it has no equal.

Already he had out his tape-measure and sketch-book, making observations and recording measurements.