/ lɒŋ; NAmE lɔːŋ/ adjective , adverb , verb
■ adjective
( long·er / ˈlɒŋgə(r); NAmE ˈlɔːŋ-/ long·est / ˈlɒŋgɪst; NAmE ˈlɔːŋ-/)
DISTANCE
1.
measuring or covering a great length or distance, or a greater length or distance than usual :
She had long dark hair.
He walked down the long corridor.
It was the world's longest bridge.
a long journey / walk / drive / flight
We're a long way from anywhere here.
It's a long way away .
OPP short
2.
used for asking or talking about particular lengths or distances :
How long is the River Nile?
The table is six feet long.
The report is only three pages long.
TIME
3.
lasting or taking a great amount of time or more time than usual :
He's been ill (for) a long time .
There was a long silence before she spoke.
I like it now the days are getting longer (= it stays light for more time each day) .
a long book / film / list (= taking a lot of time to read / watch / deal with)
Nurses have to work long hours (= for more hours in the day than is usual) .
( NAmE )
He stared at them for the longest time (= for a very long time) before answering.
OPP short
4.
used for asking or talking about particular periods of time :
How long is the course?
I think it's only three weeks long.
How long a stay did you have in mind?
5.
seeming to last or take more time than it really does because, for example, you are very busy or not happy :
I'm tired. It's been a long day.
We were married for ten long years.
OPP short
CLOTHES
6.
covering all or most of your legs or arms :
She usually wears long skirts.
a long-sleeved shirt
VOWEL SOUNDS
7.
( phonetics ) taking more time to make than a short vowel sound in the same position
OPP short
—see also length
•
IDIOMS
- as long as your arm
- at long last
- at the longest
- by a long way
- go back a long way
- go a long way
- have come a long way
- have a long way to go
- how long is a piece of string?
- in the long run
- it's a long story.
- the long arm of sth
- the long and (the) short of it
- (pull, wear, etc.) a long face
- long in the tooth
- long on sth
- a long shot
- long time no see
- not by a long chalk
- take a long (cool / hard) look at sth
- take the long view (of sth)
- to cut a long story short
—more at broad adjective , term noun , way noun
■ adverb ( long·er /ˈlɒŋgə(r); NAmE ˈlɔːŋ-/, long·est /ˈlɒŋgɪst; NAmE ˈlɔːŋ-/)
1.
for a long time :
Have you been here long?
Stay as long as you like.
The party went on long into the night.
This may take longer than we thought.
I won't be long (= I'll return, be ready, etc. soon) .
How long have you been waiting?
These reforms are long overdue.
2.
a long time before or after a particular time or event :
He retired long before the war.
It wasn't long before she had persuaded him (= it only took a short time) .
We'll be home before long (= soon) .
The house was pulled down long ago .
They had long since (= a long time before the present time) moved away.
3.
used after a noun to emphasize that sth happens for the whole of a particular period of time :
We had to wait all day long .
The baby was crying all night long .
They stayed up the whole night long .
•
IDIOMS
- as / so long as
- for (so) long
- how long have you got?
- long live sb/sth
- no / any longer
- so long
—more at laugh verb
■ verb
long for sb/sth | long (for sb) to do sth to want sth very much especially if it does not seem likely to happen soon
SYN yearn :
[ v ]
Lucy had always longed for a brother.
He longed for Pat to phone.
[ v to inf ]
I'm longing to see you again.
—see also longed-for
••
WHICH WORD
(for) long / (for) a long time
Both (for) long and (for) a long time are used as expressions of time. In positive sentences (for) a long time is used:
We've been friends a long time.
(For) long is not used in positive sentences unless it is used with too , enough , as , so , seldom , etc.:
I stayed out in the sun for too long.
•
You've been waiting long enough.
Both (for) long and (for) a long time can be used in questions, but (for) long is usually preferred:
Have you been waiting long?
In negative sentences (for) a long time sometimes has a different meaning from (for) long : Compare:
I haven't been here for a long time (= It is a long time since the last time I was here)
and
I haven't been here long (= I arrived here only a short time ago)
.
••
WORD ORIGIN
adjective and adverb noun Old English lang , long (adjective), lange , longe (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German lang .
verb Old English langian grow long, prolong , also dwell in thought, yearn , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch langen present, offer and German langen reach, extend.