For good measure

The mile gets its name from the term mille passus, which means “a thousand paces.” The abbreviation for pound (lb.) comes from the Latin libra pondo. Feet, pounds, quarts, miles: these are words we use every day. But where did they originate, and what do they actually mean? Ken Robbins takes this everyday subject and, through spectacular photographs and straightforward and entertaining text, makes it come alive.