Definition Definition

long - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'long' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Long [ a.]
- To feel a strong or morbid desire or craving; to wish for something with eagerness; -- followed by an infinitive, or by after or for.
- To belong; -- used with to, unto, or for.
2 . Long [ adv.]
- To a great extent in apace; as, a long drawn out line.
- To a great extent in time; during a long time.
- At a point of duration far distant, either prior or posterior; as, not long before; not long after; long before the foundation of Rome; long after the Conquest.
- Through the whole extent or duration.
- Through an extent of time, more or less; -- only in question; as, how long will you be gone?
3 . Long [ n.]
- A note formerly used in music, one half the length of a large, twice that of a breve.
- A long sound, syllable, or vowel.
- The longest dimension; the greatest extent; -- in the phrase, the long and the short of it, that is, the sum and substance of it.
4 . Long [ prep.]
- By means of; by the fault of; because of.
5 . Long [ superl.]
- Drawn out in a line, or in the direction of length; protracted; extended; as, a long line; -- opposed to short, and distinguished from broad or wide.
- Drawn out or extended in time; continued through a considerable tine, or to a great length; as, a long series of events; a long debate; a long drama; a long history; a long book.
- Slow in passing; causing weariness by length or duration; lingering; as, long hours of watching.
- Occurring or coming after an extended interval; distant in time; far away.
- Extended to any specified measure; of a specified length; as, a span long; a yard long; a mile long, that is, extended to the measure of a mile, etc.
- Far-reaching; extensive.
- Prolonged, or relatively more prolonged, in utterance; -- said of vowels and syllables. See Short, a., 13, and Guide to Pronunciation, // 22, 30.

Meaning of 'long' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . long [ a]
Meaning (1):
- primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
Example in sentence:
  • a long boring speech;
  • a long friendship;
  • a long game;
  • a long life;
  • a long time;
  • an hour long;
  • long ago
Meaning (2):
- primarily spatial sense; of relatively great or greater than average spatial extension or extension as specified
Example in sentence:
  • a long distance;
  • a long road;
  • contained many long words;
  • ten miles long
Meaning (3):
- holding securities or commodities in expectation of a rise in prices
Example in sentence:
  • a long position in gold;
  • is long on coffee
Meaning (4):
- good at remembering
Example in sentence:
  • a retentive mind;
  • tenacious memory
Meaning (5):
- (of speech sounds or syllables) of relatively long duration
Example in sentence:
  • the English vowel sounds in `bate', `beat', `bite', `boat', `boot' are long
6 . long [ r]
Meaning (6):
- for an extended time or at a distant time
Example in sentence:
  • a promotion long overdue;
  • arrived long before he was expected;
  • his name has long been forgotten;
  • how long will you be gone?;
  • it is long after your bedtime;
  • something long hoped for;
  • talked all night long
7 . long [ s]
Meaning (7):
- of relatively great height
Example in sentence:
  • a race of long gaunt men;
  • looked out the long French windows
Meaning (8):
- having or being more than normal or necessary
Example in sentence:
  • in long supply;
  • long on brains
Meaning (9):
- planning prudently for the future
Example in sentence:
  • large goals that required farsighted policies;
  • took a long view of the geopolitical issues
Meaning (10):
- involving substantial risk
Example in sentence:
  • long odds