The cubit is an ancient unit based on the forearm length from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the elbow. Cubits of various lengths were employed in many parts of the world in antiquity, during the Middle Ages and as recently as Early Modern Times. The term is still used in hedge laying, the length of the forearm being frequently used to determine the interval between stakes placed within the hedge.

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A cable length or length of cable is a nautical unit of measure equal to one tenth of a nautical mile or approximately 100 fathoms. The unit is named after the length of a ship's anchor cable in the Age of Sail. The definition varies:

• International:  ¹⁄₁₀ nautical mile, or 185.2 m
• Imperial (Admiralty):  ¹⁄₁₀ Admiralty mile, or 608 ft (185.32 m), about 101 fathoms
  • The traditional British fathom varied from 5½ feet to 7 feet in the Merchant Navy.
• U.S. customary (US Navy): 120 fathoms (720 feet, 219.456 m)

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