The phrase "a length down" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you are describing a distance or measurement downward, but it is not commonly used.
Example: "The tunnel extends a length down into the earth, making it difficult to see the end."
Alternatives: "a distance down" or "a depth down".
At the 500-meter mark, MIT was half a length down on Harvard and three-fourths of a length down on Princeton.
When you're a length down in the Olympic final, your technique needs to be completely second nature.
The rallying First Lieutenant seized his chance, only to be collared on the post by Tidal Bay, with Flemenstar just half a length down and Sir Des Champs breathing down their necks in fourth.
Britain slipped a length down over the second 500 metres and left themselves just too much to do as France responded to a strong push from Satch and Nash in front of the grandstands to hold on to second place by half a second.
Beijing: The four of Tom James, Andrew Triggs Hodge, Peter Reed and Steve Williams came from three-quarters of a length down to beat Australia and take gold for GB in the event for the third successive Games.
A spurt from Cambridge's stroke Gerard Elin reduced the deficit and by Hammersmith Bridge they were half a length down.
The tapes were twisted with a twist length down to lp=5 mm.
High-resolution diffraction, however, demands timing resolution up to 0.1% corresponding to a pulse length down to about 70 μs for the case of thermal neutrons (λ ∼ 1.8 Å).
In only the junior varsity and varsity four with coxswain races was Princeton able to come from a boat length down at the 1,000-meter 1,000-meterrtake the markhipmen and garner victory.
A pattern for a sailor collar is here: http://www.lynleigh.com/cosplay/sewingtutorials/ You will have to lengthen the front part of the collar so that it comes to an accurate length down the front of the uniform.
Having jumped and travelled well under Dominic Elsworth, Somersby was caught flat-footed when Noel Fehily kicked Gauvain for home and could only make gradual inroads as they toiled into the gale, still four-and-a-half lengths down at the post.
