Long (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

adjective, long·er [lawng-ger, long-], /ˈlɔŋ gər, ˈlɒŋ-/, long·est [lawng-gist, long-]. /ˈlɔŋ gɪst, ˈlɒŋ-/.
  1. having considerable linear extent in space: a long distance; a long handle.
  2. having considerable duration in time: a long conversation; a long while.
  3. extending, lasting, or totaling a number of specified units: eight miles long; eight hours long.
  4. containing many items or units: a long list.
  5. requiring a considerable time to relate, read, etc.: a long story.
  6. extending beyond normal or moderate limits: a long, boring speech.
  7. experienced as passing slowly, because of the difficulty, tedium, or unpleasantness involved: long years of study.
  8. reaching well into the past: a long memory.
  9. the longer of two or the longest of several: the long way home; a brick with the long side exposed.
  10. taking a long time; slow: He's certainly long getting here.
  11. forward-looking or considering all aspects; broad: to take a long view of life.
  12. intense, thorough, or critical; seriously appraising: a long look at one's past mistakes.
  13. having an ample supply or endowment of something (often followed by on): to be long on advice; to be long on brains.
  14. having a considerable time to run, as a promissory note.
  15. distant or remote in time: a long date.
  16. extending relatively far: a man with a long reach.
  17. being higher or taller than usual: long casement windows.
  18. being against great odds; unlikely: a long chance.
  19. (of beverages) mixed or diluted with a large amount of soda, seltzer, etc.: highballs, collinses, and other long drinks.
  20. (of the head or skull) of more than ordinary length from front to back.
  21. Phonetics.
    • lasting a relatively long time: “Feed” has a longer sound than “feet” or “fit.”
    • belonging to a class of sounds considered as usually longer in duration than another class, as the vowel of bought as compared to that of but, and in many languages serving as a distinctive feature of phonemes, as the ah in German Bahn in contrast with the a in Bann, or the tt in Italian fatto in contrast with the t in fato (opposed to short (def. 16b)).
    • having the sound of the English vowels in mate, meet, mite, mote, moot, and mute, historically descended from vowels that were long in duration.
  22. (of a syllable in quantitative verse) lasting a longer time than a short syllable.
  23. holding or accumulating stocks, futures, commodities, etc., with the expectation of a rise in prices: a long position in chemicals.
  24. Gambling.
    • marked by a large difference in the numbers of the given betting ratio or in the amounts wagered: long odds.
    • of or relating to the larger amount bet.
  25. (of clay) very plastic; fat.
noun
  1. a comparatively long time: They haven't been gone for long. Will it take long?
  2. something that is long: The signal was two longs and a short.
  3. a size of garment for men who are taller than average.
  4. a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in this size: The shorts and the longs are hung separately.
  5. a person who accumulates or holds stocks or commodities with the expectation of a rise in prices.
  6. longa.
adverb
  1. for or through a great extent of space or, especially, time: a reform long advocated.
  2. for or throughout a specified extent, especially of time: How long did he stay?
  3. (used elliptically in referring to the length of an absence, delay, etc.): Will she be long?
  4. throughout a specified period of time (usually used to emphasize a preceding noun): It's been muggy all summer long.
  5. at a point of time far distant from the time indicated: long before.
Idioms
  1. as long as,
    • provided that: As long as you can come by six, I'll be here.
    • seeing that; since: As long as you're going to the grocery anyway, buy me a pint of ice cream.
    • during the time that; through the period that: As long as we were neighbors, they never invited us inside their house.
  2. soon: We should have news of her whereabouts before long.
  3. the point or gist of; substance of: The long and the short of it is that they will be forced to sell all their holdings.
verb (used without object)
  1. to have an earnest or strong desire or craving; yearn: to long for spring;to long to return home.
verb (used without object)
  1. to be suitable or fitting.
  2. to be the possession; belong.
noun
  1. U.S. surgeon.
  2. U.S. politician: governor of Louisiana 1928–31; U.S. senator 1931–35.
  3. U.S. lawyer and politician: U.S. senator 1948–87 (son of Huey Long).
  4. U.S. army officer and explorer.
abbreviation
  1. longitude.
adjective
  1. having relatively great extent in space on a horizontal plane
  2. having relatively great duration in time
    • of a specified number of units in extent or duration
    • (in combination)
  3. having or consisting of a relatively large number of items or parts
  4. having greater than the average or expected range
  5. being the longer or longest of alternatives
  6. having more than the average or usual quantity, extent, or duration
  7. seeming to occupy a greater time than is really so
  8. intense or thorough (esp in the phrase a long look)
  9. (of drinks) containing a large quantity of nonalcoholic beverage
  10. (of a garment) reaching to the wearer's ankles
  11. plentifully supplied or endowed (with)
  12. phonetics (of a speech sound, esp a vowel)
    • of relatively considerable duration
    • classified as long, as distinguished from the quality of other vowels
    • (in popular usage) denoting the qualities of the five English vowels in such words as mate, mete, mite, moat, moot, and mute
  13. from end to end; lengthwise
  14. unlikely to win, happen, succeed, etc
  15. prosody
    • denoting a vowel of relatively great duration or (esp in classical verse) followed by more than one consonant
    • denoting a syllable containing such a vowel
    • (in verse that is not quantitative) carrying the emphasis or ictus
  16. having or characterized by large holdings of securities or commodities in anticipation of rising prices
  17. (of a fielding position) near the boundary
  18. (of people) tall and slender
  19. in the long run See run (def. 82)
  20. old or ageing
adverb
  1. for a certain time or period
  2. for or during an extensive period of time
  3. at a distant time; quite a bit of time
  4. into a position with more security or commodity holdings than are required by sale contracts and therefore dependent on rising prices for profit
  5. as long as or so long as
    • for or during just the length of time that
    • inasmuch as; since
    • provided that; if
  6. not any more; formerly but not now
noun
  1. a long time (esp in the phrase for long)
  2. a relatively long thing, such as a signal in Morse code
  3. a clothing size for tall people, esp in trousers
  4. a long vowel or syllable
  5. a person with large holdings of a security or commodity in expectation of a rise in its price; bull
  6. a note common in medieval music but now obsolete, having the time value of two breves
  7. soon
  8. the essential points or facts
verb
  1. to have a strong desire
verb
  1. to belong, appertain, or be appropriate
abbreviation for
  1. longitude
noun
  1. Crawford Williamson. 1815–78, US surgeon. He was the first to use ether as an anaesthetic
adverb
  1. for or lasting a long time
Long (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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