yard-measure

He knew every hole and corner in it! he was intimate with all her little feminine nicknacks — her silver thimble, her scissors, her bit of wax, and the yard-measure, which twisted itself in and out of an ivory cottage — he knew them all, as well as though they were his own; and he knew also where the workbox stood.

The Three Clerks 2004

Only two months ago it had almost come to a rupture between them; he had accused her of letting herself go, of growing fat, of enjoying her MUNCHENER on the sly: and — would they believe it? — next time he had actually brought a yard-measure in his pocket, to see if his suspicions were justified.

Two Tales of Old Strasbourg 2003

And as the yard-measure would have been too good for her, he brought the horsewhip, and gave her such cuts with it that she ran away in violent haste.

Household Tales 2003

“The godless wretch!” cried the tailor, “to let such a good animal hunger,” and he ran up and drove the youth out of doors with the yard-measure.

Household Tales 2003

After some time the young Queen heard her husband say in his dreams at night, “Boy, make me the doublet, and patch the pantaloons, or else I will rap the yard-measure over thine ears.”

Household Tales 2003

The tailor locked away needle and thread, yard-measure and goose, in a press, and lived with his three sons in joy and splendour.

Household Tales 2003

The woman escaped from him, and sprang out into the yard, but he ran after her with his yard-measure and scissors, and chased her about, and threw the yard-measure and scissors at her, and whatever else came his way.

Household Tales 2003

“What do I hear?” cried the tailor, and ran upstairs and said to the youth, “Hollo, thou liar: thou saidest the goat had had enough, and hast let her hunger!” and in his anger he took the yard-measure from the wall, and drove him out with blows.

Household Tales 2003

( "Metro de drapo" would mean a yard-measure which was lying on cloth, or which is used for cloth).

The Esperanto Teacher A Simple Course for Non-Grammarians Helen Fryer

If one looks closely one finds that actually he is about to take a measurement with a yard-measure.

As I Please 1946