| 释义 |
adjectivelonger, longest lɒŋ 1Measuring a great distance from end to end. the queue for tickets was long Example sentencesExamples - His face, though powerful, was marred by a long scar stretching across his forehead.
- High hedging ensures a good deal of privacy and the long driveway provides ample parking.
- After a couple of lefts and a right she found herself in a long, straight corridor.
- She is described as white, about 25, of medium build, with long straight brown hair.
- The strikes continue today and bosses are warning claimants and job seekers to expect long queues.
- Girls with long hair must tie it back with burgundy or black clips to match the uniform.
- Some of the roads are long and winding which results in numerous blindspots along the way.
- He had long eyelashes.
- He started the car and began to drive down the long road from the camp to the highway.
- The zoo was packed with happy children and there were long queues to get in.
- I am the last in a relatively long queue.
- She has long straight blonde hair, which she usually wears in a ponytail.
- The President sits at the head of a long table, immaculately dressed in a suit and striped tie.
- Among the supplies is a heavy knife with a long blade that will work as a tool or a weapon.
- My room was at the end of a very long hallway with no doors along most of its length.
- Neighbours say he had a pronounced limp and had shaved his head while retaining his long beard.
- The hoods of their robes covered their heads, and they wore long belts of white rope.
- Turning, he could see the dark line of cliffs from which he had come, and a long stretch of beach.
- She deftly ties a knot at the end of a long piece of thread before poking the other quickly through the needle's eye.
- The bride given in marriage by her father Tommy looked radiant in a white dress with long train.
Synonyms lengthy, of considerable length, extended, prolonged, extensive, stretched out, spread out long-lasting, lasting - 1.1 (after a measurement and in questions) measuring a specified distance from end to end.
Example sentencesExamples - The structure, constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, is 200 metres long.
- How long is your garden?
- I pulled at it and it turned out to be a three to three and a half inch long piece of metal.
- It is about seven foot long and - other than some mould on the wood - is in excellent condition.
- The tiny stick of metal was less than an inch long, and thinner than a paperclip.
- It came in a box about three feet long and two feet wide.
- How long is the scar?
- The explosive device is a foot long and shaped like a cigar.
- The course is ten miles long with a five mile climb to the summit and a very fast descent over scree and rocks.
- The longest bony fish in the sea, it grows up to nine metres long with a bright red crest that runs the entire length of its body.
- He had found an iron rod about a yard long on the riverbank.
- At the moment the longest leaf is 4 inches long, with half an inch of stem to the main stem.
- The route itself is 73 miles long and would probably take the average walker five or six days.
- The fish must be forty five inches long.
Synonyms in length, lengthways, lengthwise - 1.2 (of a journey) covering a great distance.
Example sentencesExamples - We were very quickly trained, flew at very low level for a long way at night and succeeded.
- Now nearly 60, Andrew is working as a trainer on lower pay and with a long journey to work.
- Years ago you needed a big car to be comfortable on long journeys, but not any more.
- The weary mother wept as the bus began its long journey back to her small village.
- I've got to get up early in the morning as I have a long journey ahead of me.
- I had a long journey ahead of me, but the reward far outweighed the cost in effort.
- ‘This is an awfully long walk,’ he said casually.
- The couple had made the long journey from Kent for the bags, joining the queue at 12.30 am.
- Get up and stretch when on long journeys such as on a coach or plane.
- The pilgrims had an extra long journey due to the extra security at the Airport.
- They all looked bewildered and unkempt and had apparently had a very long journey.
- Wales march on, but for poor tired Italy, the long flight home will be a chance to reflect on what might have been.
- It should go without saying that it's vital to ensure that the car is capable of a long journey.
- Anyone who misses the bus for the return journey must make the long walk home.
- Often his journeys involve long treks through remote regions, giving him time to look and think.
- By the time she got to Florida, the car had broken down and couldn't make the long journey back.
- The long drive back offered everyone the chance to reflect on the trip.
- In January 1642 the king left London and began a long journey round the Midlands and the north.
- Normally, cabbies asked to take clients on long journeys ask for the money up-front.
- The long journey took its toll on the intrepid traveller as her petrol tank sprung a leak and her aerial fell off.
- 1.3 (of a ball in sport) travelling a great distance, or further than expected or intended.
he tried to head a long ball back to the keeper Example sentencesExamples - Five minutes later Owen beat Dixon to a long through ball and side footed the ball past Seaman for a late, late winner.
- The hilly golf terrain favored his long ball.
- Reed hit a long free kick and this time Graham Curry headed over his keeper into the unguarded net.
- Henry is at his best when receiving long breakaway ball which allows him to run at defenders.
- One long Aberdeen ball upfield 30 seconds later and Riordan was to be harshly punished.
- He can hit the long ball.
- A long ball by the excellent Tommy Farrell was headed clear.
- 1.4 (of a garment or sleeves on a garment) covering the whole of a person's legs or arms.
a sweater with long sleeves he's scarcely old enough to be in long trousers Example sentencesExamples - The neck line dipped demurely and the long sleeves puffed slightly at the shoulders.
- Cyclists and motorcyclists should always wear a protective helmet and long sleeves.
- She was dressed in a long skirt, which is not part of our school uniform.
- I suggest he goes outside, puts on his first pair of long trousers, and then comes back.
- They wore pale pink long dresses, fitted at the top and flowing at the bottom and carried cream and pink roses.
- I almost didn't notice her for a second, but she tugged impatiently on my long sleeve.
- Though it was a good 75 degrees out he was wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt.
- A lot of my friends wore miniskirts but I liked my long summer dress which was more comfortable.
- I packed for Scotland with long sleeves and waterproofs but had to buy a t-shirt in the golf shop.
- He wore a light blue sweatshirt with long sleeves and blue or black tracksuit bottoms.
- He was clothed in a soiled tunic and long trousers that barely hid his bronzed feet and grubby toenails.
- Her scathing glance slid over me, taking in the baggy shirt and long skirt.
- She reached into the wardrobe and removed one of the long dresses that had caught her eye.
- He wore black pants with a maroon shirt, the long sleeves pushed up to his elbows.
- He was a long white tunic reaching to the ankles and with long sleeves, made from white linen or wool.
- In Kenya, for instance, native women prefer to see female tourists in long skirts and sleeves.
- Encumbered by her large handbag, she struggles keep her long skirt and shawl out of the mess.
- Shorts feel cool, but they can lead to burned legs: you need lightweight long trousers.
- He wore some kind of big baggy silken shirt with long sleeves that almost stretched down to the tips of his fingers.
- The girls of six to ten shall be given skirts or long dresses, and the boys of six to fourteen shall be provided with trousers.
- 1.5 Of elongated shape.
shaped like a torpedo, long and thin Example sentencesExamples - I've noticed that a lot of people seem to be carrying long thin hockey stick shaped bags.
- Just make sure you have a suitably long implement with which to scrape out the marrow so you can spread it on some toast.
- Fill the bag with the roux and pipe long sausages of the mixture on to the tray.
- The walls were covered in sponges and a few anemones but the beauty of the cave lay in its long, narrow shape.
- Then they transfer the dye colours to it and roll out the substance into a long and thin shape.
- He has long thin sideburns and was wearing silver oblong small-frame silver glasses.
- There is a knack to dealing with a mango, which contains a long, thin stone to which the flesh clings for dear life.
- It was a room of narrow but long shape, with two glassless windows with wooden shutters.
- The pancakes are served on long, thin wooden plates reflecting their size and shape.
- His spear was simple, as well: a long, reasonably thin shaft of wood with an iron point at the end.
- Food is served on long low tables, tall enough to allow guests to sit cross legged and to belly up to the edge.
- Well, let me just say that I'm sat at the computer drinking from a long, fluted glass.
- This is a long thin instrument with a light source at its tip, to light up the inside of the abdomen or pelvis.
- He walked over to a tree with a hollow in it, and pulled out a large bag with something long and thin in it.
- The finger bun was long and thin and had pink icing on top.
- His face was long and thin, his eyes a pale blue.
- I was trying to explain to Thomas that these long thin clouds were from planes, and were kind of like train tracks.
- Picking up a long pole with a hooked end, a farmer plucks down a pod and cleaves it open with a cutlass.
- Now everyone's in a movie, or a TV show, drinking champagne out of long flutes on a Friday night.
- Addington is the larger of two adjacent long barrows overlooking a tributary of the Medway.
- 1.6informal (of a person) tall.
Example sentencesExamples - He was a long lean man with grey eyes.
- A long woman standing nearby was staring at us.
2Lasting or taking a great amount of time. a long and distinguished career she took a long time to dress Example sentencesExamples - Swindon Traffic Police said long delays were expected due to the volume of the traffic.
- However, if you had been a drugs dealer, you could have expected a long prison sentence.
- They spent long periods chasing the ball.
- If you are going on vacation for a long period, you can ask the neighbour to keep a watch on your home.
- Colleagues today paid tribute to their engine driver, who had made many friends during his long career.
- It took her quite a long time to get dressed and undressed.
- Britain's defeat means their long search for a gold medal in the men's team pursuit goes on.
- Subsequently I have battled a lot of physical ailments, some of long duration.
- Health problems need to be attended to and resolved or they can linger for a long time.
- Loud arguments and minor scuffles are a common sight, as the long wait wears down patience.
- The irregular working hours and long gaps between jobs meant I had lots of time for boyfriends.
- At the end of another match he surprised the crowd by breaking into a long speech about Oscar Wilde.
- If they open their windows, the smell pervades their homes and lingers there for a long time.
- Nicole said that she did not think she would be ready to marry anyone for a long time.
- The author had a long career in journalism and his final post was that of executive editor of the European.
- Aged 39, he was looking forward to a long and successful career in local government.
- Sometimes he takes a long time between balls and then, for a change, he simply turns and comes right at you.
- After an excruciatingly long pause, Amy gasped.
- I actually managed to get my long speech done in two takes which I was delighted with.
- Once the trailers were over, there was an unusually long pause when the screen was just black.
Synonyms prolonged, protracted, lengthy, overlong, extended, long-drawn-out, drawn-out, spun-out, dragged-out, seemingly endless, lingering, interminable tedious, boring, wearisome - 2.1 (after a noun of duration and in questions) lasting or taking a specified amount of time.
the debates will be 90 minutes long Example sentencesExamples - The government has organised a year-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of the late reggae icon Robert 'Bob' Nesta Marley.
- How long do you have noticeable bruising and scars after facial surgery?
- They used two bits from the hour long interview, and not the bits that I would necessarily have chosen.
- This can be entirely attributed to my participation in a six-and-a-half hour long meeting.
- If houses were built right next to the youth club, how long before the new owners object to the noise and disruption?
- The only question in her mind, was how long would it take for everything to work out?
- I wonder - how long have you enjoyed gardening, and what helped to develop your interest in it?
- The final excitement for my week was the several hour long blackout at work yesterday.
- All sessions are 2 hours long.
- My only question now is how long will I have to wait before house prices return to sensible levels again?
- As if rowing and golfing hadn't been enough for one day, I then went for a hour long swim.
- The question was asked how long would it take to recoup the cost of parking meters when few people were using some of the places.
- How long did it take for women to get the right to vote?
- So on the morning of the test we had an hour long lesson where we basically had to drive up to Palmer's Green to the test centre.
- The longest individual work here is a little over 11 minutes long, many last less than a minute.
- Last week I began a month-long experiment during which Im trying to drink only water.
- 2.2attributive Seeming to last more time than is the case; lengthy.
serving long hours on the committee Example sentencesExamples - He candidly admits in the book he spent months on the couch and long hours with a marriage counsellor.
- The tired and weary doormen can only hope it is not too long a night.
- They were entertained through the long dark hours by live music and a fireworks display.
- Working in a sterile office for three long years left me repressed and saddened by the world.
- The lack of a break after a long year's tedious work will reduce the efficiency of teachers.
- We turned into bed early that night, readying ourselves for what we expected would be a long day.
- It's been a long and very busy week, and the week ahead looks about the same, and I desperately need to wind down.
- Trapped in the house together during the long curfew hours, Marie spent her days making marmalade.
- She doesn't have a job and isn't allowed to go out, so she fills the long hours every day by teaching her kids how to swear.
- They both walked up the stairs to get dressed for the long day that lay ahead of them.
- I was very grateful to have one night at home, because I knew that it was going to be a long and crazy week.
- I try to go shopping where they wrap for you, otherwise I have a long night of cursing and weeping.
- We hid for another five long cold hours, well into the night, as we sped across the desert towards the city.
- A few days went by and it seemed like the summer was going to be very long and heading towards boring.
- He had a solid game that day; as much as could be possibly expected after long months on the sidelines.
- He has been here since the camp started, and the long nights get boring.
- There were long, wet days when our house seemed so gloomy that I once burst into tears just driving up to it.
- I haven't seen Liam for a while but when I do it'll probably be a very long night!
- Six thirty in the evening and she was already dressed for the duration of a long night ahead.
- There were long days when I was on my own with the physiotherapists, but it's all paid off.
- 2.3 (of a person's memory) retaining things for a great amount of time.
Example sentencesExamples - I'm a historian with a long memory and a sentimental attachment to my past.
- You don't need a long memory to have perspective in sport, just a memory.
- Wiltshire people have long memories as the County Council cabinet will find to their cost.
- Although he affects a gentle demeanour, O'Leary has a long memory and his opinions can be acidic.
- The Parisian spectators have long memories and they do not like a bad loser.
- Those of us with long political memories tend to look back at events of the past and expect history to repeat itself.
- Maybe the voters will have long memories when the next elections come around.
- Those with long memories can recall what happened in the city of Ann Arbor, in the early 1970s.
3Relatively great in extent. a long list of candidates Example sentencesExamples - Lots of things are bad for us, including a long list of potentially unhealthy foods.
- The vegetarian menu takes up a page, and there is a long list of fish and poultry dishes.
- While both men have a long list of achievements to their credit, neither is in the first flush of youth.
- The attacks are the latest in a long list of violent crimes to have blighted Yorkshire in the last month.
- Replacing the bathroom was way down on a long list of home improvement jobs, but it has now made it to the top.
- An incredibly long menu makes perfect sense in head office, but causes havoc in the kitchen.
- I made a long list of promises to God of how good I'd be in future if only we could get this sorted out.
- I met a German lady who sat in the piazza with a dictionary so that she could write a long letter to me.
- Getting older no longer leads to a long list of activities that you fear even attempting.
- Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients: it is really easy to make.
- Ms Kelly said the department eventually put out a long report so that no one would notice its conclusions.
- Despite a long list of honorary titles she has remained far from grand.
- Rarely before had such a long novel been allowed the integrity to express itself.
- He was the original Hollywood heart-throb, a star with good looks and a long list of lovers.
- The long list of activities includes boxing training, snooker and computer games.
- All I came up with was a series of brain achingly long reports that left me more confused than when I started.
- Inquiry reports are often long, comprehensive, densely written, and hard to read.
- Now they have turned to a police offender profiler to try and narrow down a long list of potential suspects.
- The former president has a long list of credits not only here at home but abroad.
- Vegetarians are well catered for and the chef will rustle up a long list of meat-free dishes on request.
- 3.1 (after a noun of extent and in questions) having a specified extent.
the statement was three pages long Example sentencesExamples - How long will each section of the report be?
- I've got a list of things about five sheets long to work on.
- How long is the book?
- The script, he says, is approximately 800-1000 pages long, the equivalent to eight to ten hours of dialogue.
- The full hand-written letter had originally been presented as just one sheet of paper but it is actually ten sides long.
4Phonetics
(of a vowel) categorized as long with regard to quality and length (e.g. in standard British English the vowel /uː/ in food is long as distinct from the short vowel /ʊ/ in good). Example sentencesExamples - In French, Italian, and Scottish English long vowels occur in a narrow range of positions and in general do not affect meaning.
- French long vowels always occur on stressed syllables.
- The big problem with long vowels is that there is more than one way to spell the same sound.
- 4.1Prosody (of a vowel or syllable) having the greater of the two recognized durations.
Example sentencesExamples - A trochee is a metrical foot of two syllables, the first long and the second short.
- Vocal delivery feels like a poetry reading, spoken as much as sung, but with long drawn syllables.
- Let's assume that long syllables take just twice as long to say as short ones.
5(of odds or a chance) reflecting or representing a low level of probability. winning against long odds Example sentencesExamples - If you were a betting man, you could have got long odds on such a run of bad luck.
- Despite the long odds, she's hoping someone in the unemployment lines will take up the challenge.
- The odds are long that the venture will be a success.
- Today is merely the start of a difficult but worthy process undertaken against long odds.
- There was an element of ill luck, but every so often, as gamblers would tell us, long odds do come off.
- Given how things went into qualifying, it was quite a long call to expect a podium finish.
- Finally the soldier muttered something to the effect that he was going to take the long chance.
- The odds are long, the rewards are high, but there is no assurance of winning.
- In reality I knew the odds were long, and that my tendency towards scepticism would hold strong.
6Finance
(of shares, bonds, or other assets) bought in advance, with the expectation of a rise in price. Example sentencesExamples - Provided that restricted shares can be bought at a deep discount to market, it would make much sense for the group holding long shares to try and convert those shares into a far greater number of restricted shares.
- Is there a worldwide shortage of long bonds?
- For this reason, their value is often calculated by making reference to the long bond yield.
- That does not rule out the potential of long stocks that are going up during a down- trending market, but the probability of that happening is not as high as the alternative.
- After all, back in the seventies, the long bond yield was up in the mid teens.
- 6.1 (of a broker or their position in the market) buying or based on long stocks.
Example sentencesExamples - Traders are well advised to enter into a long position and place a protective stop below the latest low in the market.
- This is so because the central bank is on the long side of the bond market most of the time.
- When markets turn vulnerable, the enterprising speculator may this time decide to reverse his long position and go short.
- Buy-ins are generated by a long broker to close out an open fail with a counterparty.
- Traders and investors who limit themselves to long positions are conceding a big advantage to market professionals who are just as likely to go short as go long.
- 6.2 (of a security) maturing at a distant date.
Example sentencesExamples - Issuers who are unwilling to pay the price to sell these long securities can instead sell shorter maturities.
- Long securities are such a good substitute for cash.
7(of a drink) large and refreshing, and in which alcohol, if present, is not concentrated. Example sentencesExamples - When the day is hot, order one of their long, tall concoctions and take it all in.
- He suggests serving them in long summer drinks and Martinis, or in chilled soup such as gazpacho
- Sip it, with ice and a dash of lemon, or make it into a refreshing long drink with sparkling water.
- The music is free so - in an ideal world - all you need is your shades, your sun block and a long cold drink.
- When I got home I poured myself a long lemonade.
8long oninformal Well supplied with. an industry that's long on ideas but short on cash Example sentencesExamples - And while Scotland were long on perspiration, they were woefully short on inspiration.
- He is long on promises, but short on accomplishments.
- Both movies are extremely long on mystery and innuendo.
- The hearing which followed was long on plausibility, but short on actuality.
- The minister has shown she is long on rhetoric but short on action.
- They are long on opinions, but short on evidence.
- Many of the businesses we work in seem long on management and short on leadership.
noun lɒŋ 1mass noun A long period. Example sentencesExamples - He insisted that he had problems adapting to society after spending so long behind bars.
- Then discuss it, but not for long, because this is a technique actors use to delay standing up and doing it.
- Before long the story spread throughout the city of the crazy man who had purchased a dream.
- Before long, fantasy not only intrudes into reality but becomes the only reality.
- Why does it take so long to mend an escalator?
- A family business cannot survive for long without a family to run as well as own it.
- Before long you're plotting weekends cycling in the country and perhaps a touring holiday or two.
- Before long they had three young daughters.
- Before too long the mass denial and the conspiracy theories will flourish again.
Synonyms soon, shortly, presently, in the near future, in a short time, in a little while, in a minute, in a moment in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, in (less than) no time, in no time (at all), before you know it, any minute (now) by and by informal in a jiffy, in two shakes, in two shakes of a lamb's tail, before you can say Jack Robinson archaic or informal anon archaic ere long 2A long sound such as a long signal in Morse code or a long vowel or syllable. Example sentencesExamples - He blew two longs, a short and a long on the steam whistle as the train inched toward its top speed of 20 miles an hour.
- SOS is three longs, followed by three shorts, and another three longs.
3longsFinance
Long-dated securities, especially gilts. Example sentencesExamples - If the dollar rises, gold will face pressure and may need to shake out more of the weaker longs before resuming its rise.
- In a weekly uptrend, continue adding to longs whenever the force index turns negative; continually add to shorts in downtrends whenever the force index turns positive.
- As such we have exited longs and will look to buy again after the coming retracement.
- At this level we will accumulate dollar longs and warn buyers of gold stocks to watch out for a renewed decline if the dollar's seasonal pattern holds true.
- 3.1 Assets held in a long position.
Example sentencesExamples - What this tells us is that the funds had begun to not only eliminate longs but were in the process of actually building a short position since the technical indicators had all flipped negative.
- The risk of the longs is that the price will fall.
- Looking at the pattern of returns emerging from the whole portfolio - mixing up longs and shorts and any currency overlays - does not give enough information.
adverblonger, longest lɒŋ 1For a long time. we hadn't known them long an experience they will long remember his long-awaited Grand Prix debut Example sentencesExamples - They had long been sought by police in connection with a series of violent motorcycle thefts.
- Einstein had long lived in horror of his bomb, which was supposed to erase evil from the planet.
- The Roman Catholic Church has long been criticised for failing to keep up with the times.
- At barbecues, food must not be left lying around too long outside and must be cooked thoroughly.
- I like my job, but other than that, there aren't really many reasons for me to stay long at all.
- Both initiatives came into effect yesterday and both are things the taxi drivers have long campaigned for.
- This was a darts match that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it.
- The film has a power that causes it to linger long in the memory.
- On Booker shortlists, the preponderance of some subjects over others has long been a source of comment.
- Journalists, and their editors, have long rankled at the obvious attempt at manipulation.
- Scotland has long had a relatively low population compared with similar European countries.
- In the United States, voting has long been a minority activity; so it is becoming in Britain.
- I will think long and hard before I give my number out again.
- He has channelled his emotional pain into a vigorous and passionate account that will live long in my memory.
- Having been a racegoer for twenty years there are a couple of performances that live long in the memory.
- Nor are you likely to be waiting here long before somebody recognises your need for a cold drink or a coffee.
- The Government Information Service had long been a byword for incompetence.
- Rangers and United had their moments, but not enough at either end to make it a match that will live long in the memory.
- Don't you think that cloud is staying there awfully long?
- The prospect of a woman defeating a man in sport has long had allure in America.
- 1.1 In questions about a period of time.
how long have you been working? Example sentencesExamples - I can't look at that picture without wondering how long it took them to get those shadows under his eyes.
- I'm not sure how long you have lived away from these shores but the British Empire does not exist anymore.
- David isn't really sure how long he'll be here.
- Find out how long it will last and what type of questions you will be asked so you can track the progress of the interview.
- He did not say how long the military would delay an attack on the headquarters.
- But organisers are not sure how long they can keep it going without more volunteers to help run it.
- Mr Atkins said it was unknown how long the building would be closed for.
- Tell me about Jodie, how long you'd known her and how close you were, what sort of person she was.
- I'm hopeful that I will find another job but who knows how long it will take.
- When Scots meet me for the first time, they always ask how long I've been here.
- How long he can remain on the fence is a question for an uncertain future.
- We asked them questions too, about how long they had been there and when they would be getting out.
- Dedicated nurses will let the patient know how long they could be waiting for treatment.
- A key question is how long it will take for new policies to take effect.
- Checking into a hotel that night, he was asked how long he was staying.
- Have I been a raging misogynist for this long and simply not realised it?
- I'm not sure if I should join as I don't know how long I will stay with the company.
- Questions ranged from how long the baby had been on mother's milk to how often the baby fell sick.
- How do you prepare for the winter when you have no clue how long it will last?
- Police said they had no idea how long the factory had been in operation, but estimated it to be around three or four months.
- 1.2 At a time distant from a specified event or time.
the work was compiled long after his death Example sentencesExamples - Bob sleighing was popular in and around La Plagne long before the Olympic course was built.
- It's a particularly unfashionable old hat that ought to have gone to the charity shop long ago.
- I gave up alcohol long ago as it would completely destroy me for days after.
- Yet the Olympics have long since ceased to be a jamboree for the elite.
- Several of the action sequences will live in the memory long after the end of the final credits.
- Helen's lust for him died long before the end of the war.
- There is no doubt that the Allies knew about the death camps long before the Russians liberated Majdanek.
- Some of these books were on the shelves long before I started to use the library nine years ago.
- Not long ago, my partner and I went on a week's vacation to Sicily.
- The rock was a meteorite, blasted off the Red Planet long ago by the impact of a comet.
- Meanwhile a forlorn figure leant against a goalpost long after the finish.
- I do not hear my mother come out of the sitting room until long after I have gone to bed.
- I gave up smoking long ago.
- Doctors Hilary and Alan Hill fell in love with Argyll long before moving there.
- All of the gospel writers wrote their stories of Jesus' teaching and actions long after his death.
- The match proved a disaster for striker Ryan Senior, who broke a leg not long after his goal.
- We lost faith in pensions long ago.
- The men long ago stopped wearing tribal costumes.
- Tunisia put the ball in Spain's net, but the whistle had long since gone for offside.
- I'd go with my pals and play football or go cycling, even though this was long before mountain bikes came along.
- 1.3comparative, with negative After an implied point of time.
he couldn't wait any longer Example sentencesExamples - We won't wait any longer for this country's children have health care and a quality education.
- They will not keep you any longer than necessary.
- Her father was a very important man in the city and he could not stay any longer no matter what his daughter wished.
- 1.4 (after a noun of duration) throughout a specified period.
Example sentencesExamples - Hayfever hits as many as one in ten of us every year, but for some allergy sufferers, the symptoms can last all year long.
- I'd throw a ball against the wall of our house all day long to learn the basics because I had no-one to play with.
- I have to spend my precious day off in front of a PC doing nothing but geeky stuff all day long.
- I almost felt like bursting into tears because we've taken so much flak all year long.
- There is a cinema which shows movies all day long and I am actually off to watch one in a few minutes.
- It is no secret that Shutt has worked all year long to find such a player.
- It is Everton who have been playing a cup final every week, all season long.
- They will be in bloom all summer long, and require very little attention.
- This is one of my all time favourite dishes - I could eat it all day long.
- Fatigue didn't matter, the ten men of Brazil could have kept the ball all day long and England knew it.
- The training period was pleasantly like being paid money to play cards all day long.
- It's had a great spirit all season long and everybody came through for everybody else.
- The seniors told us, the new students, to do a lot of silly things all day long.
- One Act Play Weekends showcase two to four plays that are, you guessed it, one act long.
- The Percy committee is busy fund raising all year long to come up with the money for their event.
- All night long the hockey pictures gaze down at you sleeping in your tracksuit.
2(with reference to the ball in sport) at, to, or over a great distance. the Cambridge side played the ball long Example sentencesExamples - Instead, he pulls ten men back and hoofs the ball long, to be chased or held up by a willing workhorse.
- Unfortunately we fell into that trap and started just lumping the ball long which isn't our style.
- Bristol had a lineout on their own line and hooker Neil McCarthy threw the ball long.
- The front two had little support other than balls knocked long to alleviate the pressure.
- Pete started off on the first tee hitting the ball very long and right down the middle.
- 2.1 Beyond the point aimed at; too far.
Example sentencesExamples - It was only towards the end that Murray put some real beef into his shots, and then too often the ball flew long or wide.
- The ball went long and out of play.
- You can hit the ball harder and take a longer swing while minimizing the risk of sending the ball long.
- Too often Rio Ferdinand looked up and knocked it long because he didn't have an option.
- The Belgian then began to get flustered and started spraying the balls long and wide.
Phrases 1During the whole time that. they have been there as long as anyone can remember Example sentencesExamples - I'm not sure when this one got started, but it has been going on as long as I can remember.
- For as long as I can remember, my home city has had pretensions to be something that it is not.
- Newton's theory of gravity will be used as long as there are scientists on this planet.
- He said it was a great day for the town and one he would remember as long as he lived.
- His mother taught six- and seven-year-olds at the local school and had done for as long as he could remember.
- Scotland is a magnificent country which has voted Labour for as long as most of us can remember.
- Ducks have been part of the village scene in Bledington for as long as anyone can remember.
- Ever have a picture on the wall, or something on a shelf that seemed to be there for as long as you can remember?
- There had been no rain in the valley for as long as the children could remember.
- The first house was empty, boarded up, and had been for as long as the boy could remember.
as long as you fed him, he would be cooperative Example sentencesExamples - Security is not a problem as long as you never give anyone your password or security details.
- People have the right to live how they choose, so long as they do not place themselves or others in danger.
- What we do with our private lives seems not to matter, as long as it doesn't harm anyone else.
- We are happy for anyone to pick this up as long as it is not used for any commercial purpose.
- They don't mind what anyone else does or is - so long as they get equal freedom in return.
- The government maintains that it does not matter who provides the services so long as they are publicly funded.
- These can be a good idea, as long as you remember to revisit your accounts at the end of the bonus period.
- The advantage of the essay question is that you can play to your strengths - so long as what you write is relevant.
- There are few moral limits imposed, so long as what happens is between consenting adults.
- I don't care what I look like when fishing, so long as I am mobile and, if possible, not too hot or too cold.
Take a long time to happen or arrive. sit down, tea won't be long Example sentencesExamples - It will not be long before you can buy network television programming without ads for a monthly fee.
- Tell them I won't be long.
- It may not be long before Americans see a new English hero.
- He knew the twelve o'clock train would not be long.
- I'm sure it won't be long before someone decides they really should get that old lotto ticket in their wallet checked out, and finds themselves a little bit richer.
Over or after a long period of time; eventually. it saves money in the long run Example sentencesExamples - They may trap you for several years on a variable rate which could prove expensive in the long run.
- He said two teachers had already been recruited but they were looking for about ten more in the long run.
- Of course it would be difficult, but the benefits in the long run would be worth it.
- The earlier you take action, the less money it will cost you in the long run.
- The project will both use a renewable source of power as well as save the university money in the long run.
- Engineering skills are no longer appreciated in this country and we will all suffer in the long run for it.
- Although bosses admit the changes will cause teething problems they say it will work well in the long run.
- Constantly exceeding the normal hours of work is not, in the long run, of benefit to employers.
- I gave up music to do Latin because I thought it would be better in the long run.
- As well as improving performance, the new units would also save money in the long run.
Synonyms eventually, in the end, ultimately, when all is said and done, in the final analysis, in the fullness of time British informal at the end of the day
long ago an unmarried girl was considered her father's property as modifier time has marched on since my long-ago youth Example sentencesExamples - Long ago, marriage was more financially motivated than a matter of the heart.
- It might have been part of a pirate or a viking ship long ago.
- Long ago, ice used to be a novelty, shipped across the world in massive chunks carved from frozen lakes and rivers.
- The energy is all derived from the photosynthesis of plants long ago.
- Longer ago than I care to remember, I was privileged enough to be elected student union president of my college.
- The Andamanese have a number of stories which are told to the younger people by their elders and relate to the doings of their ancestors in a time long ago.
- Attempts to transmute other metals to gold may have been made as long ago as the Bronze Age.
- Long ago when I was in high school, my baseball coach provided "oil of wintergreen" for our sore muscles.
- Long ago, barbers played a prominent role in medicine and dentistry.
- It's way too late but these children should have been adopted by capable parents long ago.
the long and the short of it All that can or need be said. the long and short of it is, I must make something or be miserable Example sentencesExamples - I'm just somebody serving food and that's the long and the short of it.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that in the check in line on my way to Germany, I realised I had my Swiss Army Knife in my pocket.
- So, the long and the short of it was that twice a day, a swarm of four hundred eleven- to sixteen-year-olds would attempt to cross the busiest road in the south of England by bike.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I have a trial session booked up for Thursday after work.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that when the lights go down in the house there are five of us in the audience (in a theatre holding 98), and what we see is absolutely marvellous.
- The long and the short of it is that we pay ourselves too well and the cost has to be recouped by service and product providers.
- And then the long and the short of it was that we went back to where we stayed and there was no sign of her back there.
- He's shell shocked, is the long and the short of it.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I got a free new modem out of it.
- I had some blood tests a couple of weeks ago, to see how the drug has been working and, the long and the short of it is, it hasn't.
Example sentencesExamples - He assures me he is far too long in the tooth to compete against the current world title holders, who nowadays are in their teens.
- I'm a bit too long in the tooth to get too worked up about these things any more.
- After a career in building he decided he was too long in the tooth and looked to something more gentle - funeral directory.
- ‘I felt we were getting a bit long in the tooth,’ he said.
- I'm only 29 so I hope that doesn't make me long in the tooth, I started driving a logging truck when I was 17.
- I think I am too long in the tooth to start adopting the dress down policy of many of today's businesses.
- But the car was looking increasingly long in the tooth, despite continuous design improvements.
- His gaggle of girlfriends all seem suspiciously long in the tooth to qualify as high-school students.
- My old home computer was getting a little long in the tooth, so I decided it was time to upgrade to a speedy new machine.
- I'm too long in the tooth and I'm too old to be bluffed.
informal It is a long time since we last met (used as a greeting). Example sentencesExamples - ‘Hey Zoë, long time no see,’ he greeted casually.
- ‘Oh, hello, Ryan, long time no see,’ Adrienne's father, Michael Moore greeted me when I rang their doorbell.
- So nice of you to join us Andrew, long time no see.
- Mark, the instructor who I've mentioned before in a post said hi, and asked where I was… long time no see.
- She was about to pick up one of her bags when she saw Sam looking at her, ‘Hi, long time no see.’
- Hey there stranger, long time no see.
- I never stopped to say hello, long time no see.
- Kevin turned around, and smiled politely, ‘Hey Conner, long time no see.’
- ‘Hello, long time no see,’ Astor remarked to Belinda as the ladies crowded into the somewhat ungenerous dressing room.
- Sweetie, long time no see, where have you been hiding?
not long ago he came across a rattlesnake outside his house Example sentencesExamples - Not long ago, bicycles were the main mode of transportation here.
- The Foreign Minister spoke to journalists not long ago.
- Not long ago, I began rereading the novels of Jane Austen.
- You may not be aware that her father died not long ago.
- Not long ago a friend of mine moved to Bangalore.
- This subject came up not long ago at a dinner party.
- Not long ago such a demand would have seemed both radical and unfeasible.
- Not long ago most economists in the US were lamenting the fact that we had such a low savings rate while Japan had such a high savings rate.
- I did a Washington fundraiser gig not long ago.
- This reminds me of a discussion I had with a friend not long ago.
Synonyms not long ago, a short time ago, in the last few days, in the last few months, in the last few weeks, in the past few days, in the past few months, in the past few weeks, a little while back
Think beyond the current situation. Example sentencesExamples - The energy industry has always had to take the long view.
- As a company we are not taken in by fads, we take the long view.
- He had held many of his views since early adulthood, and he took the long view.
- Conservative strategists taking the long view must already be realizing the next election, generally expected just a few months from now, could turn out disastrously for the new party.
- He came across as the charismatic voice of reason, talking sense and taking the long view.
- But as a technology publication, we like to take the long view here, and we try to determine the long-term viability of technologies, not just their instant gratification factor.
- Rarely do government officials take the long view.
- It would seem that in this one unique instance the government is taking the long view.
- In the hyperactive world of investing - with its rapid trades and lust for instant wealth - some analysts take the long view.
- If history teaches us anything, it's to take the long view.
Origin Old English lang, long (adjective), lange, longe (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German lang. The long referring to length and the long meaning ‘to desire’ are unrelated, though both have ancient Germanic roots. The phrase long in the tooth was first used to describe horses, and comes from the way you can estimate a horse's age by looking at its teeth: if the gums have receded and the teeth consequently look very long, you know the animal is rather old. See also gift. The background to long time no see, would nowadays probably be seen as politically incorrect. It was originally an American expression and arose in the early 20th century as a supposedly humorous imitation of the broken English spoken by a Native American. This dubious past is long forgotten and the phrase is now freely used on both sides of the Atlantic. See also arm
Rhymes along, belong, bong, chaise longue, Geelong, gong, Guangdong, Haiphong, Heilong, Hong Kong, Jong, King Kong, mah-jong, Mao Zedong, Mekong, nong, pong, prolong, sarong, Shillong, song, souchong, strong, thong, throng, tong, Vietcong, wrong verb lɒŋ [no object]Have a strong wish or desire. she longed for a little more excitement with infinitive we are longing to see the new baby Example sentencesExamples - He ached for her and longed to show her that he loved her and that he wouldn't leave her.
- Oh how I longed for a platform indicator that actually told you when the next train was due, not just where it was going.
- Her husband believes she is David's biggest fan and she has longed to meet him since she was a schoolgirl.
- I longed to return to the crime narrative to find out what happens next.
- I longed to get a steady rhythm going and muttered impatiently that we had a mountain to climb.
- He longed to know what nobility was exactly, so he could be sure that he had it.
- She had longed so eagerly to charm, to be desired, to be wildly attractive and sought after.
- She longed to see a powerful revival among the neglected and helpless widows of India.
- There have been moments, many of them, when I have longed to be re-united with it.
- He played football but longed to be a kick-boxer, a dream that perished on the rock of short and stumpy legs.
- How he longed for the summer when they would both jet off to Italy for their special times together.
- I've always longed for a sweet and affectionate, yet unbelievably cool, nickname.
- I longed for a bath, clean linen and a bed - any kind of bed that would allow me to stretch and relax.
- According to what few accounts we have of him he thought the word of his daughter and longed to see her again.
- Rupert and Robin both hated boarding school and they longed to live at home.
- It was not much more than a shack but soon they were joined by local women who had longed for the day when a convent would be opened.
- I longed for a digital system that would hold the information from the letters and leave paper and dust behind.
- I longed for my parents to hire a horse-drawn cab instead of a taxi but that did not happen.
- They do not understand how much I long for it, how I have longed for it ever since I was a girl.
- She laughs and says she has longed for the ring for a great time and wished to take it.
Synonyms yearn, pine, ache, wish, burn, hanker for/after, hunger, thirst, itch, pant, hope, be eager, be desperate, be consumed with desire, be unable to wait, would give one's eye teeth crave, need, lust after, dream of, set one's heart on, be bent on, eat one's heart out over, covet want, desire, set one's sights on informal have a yen, be dying, yen
Origin 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'. adjective 1Measuring a great distance from end to end. the line for tickets was long Example sentencesExamples - Girls with long hair must tie it back with burgundy or black clips to match the uniform.
- Neighbours say he had a pronounced limp and had shaved his head while retaining his long beard.
- He started the car and began to drive down the long road from the camp to the highway.
- After a couple of lefts and a right she found herself in a long, straight corridor.
- I am the last in a relatively long queue.
- My room was at the end of a very long hallway with no doors along most of its length.
- The strikes continue today and bosses are warning claimants and job seekers to expect long queues.
- The zoo was packed with happy children and there were long queues to get in.
- Among the supplies is a heavy knife with a long blade that will work as a tool or a weapon.
- She deftly ties a knot at the end of a long piece of thread before poking the other quickly through the needle's eye.
- Some of the roads are long and winding which results in numerous blindspots along the way.
- His face, though powerful, was marred by a long scar stretching across his forehead.
- She has long straight blonde hair, which she usually wears in a ponytail.
- The bride given in marriage by her father Tommy looked radiant in a white dress with long train.
- High hedging ensures a good deal of privacy and the long driveway provides ample parking.
- Turning, he could see the dark line of cliffs from which he had come, and a long stretch of beach.
- The President sits at the head of a long table, immaculately dressed in a suit and striped tie.
- He had long eyelashes.
- She is described as white, about 25, of medium build, with long straight brown hair.
- The hoods of their robes covered their heads, and they wore long belts of white rope.
Synonyms lengthy, of considerable length, extended, prolonged, extensive, stretched out, spread out - 1.1 (after a measurement and in questions) measuring a specified distance from end to end.
Example sentencesExamples - The tiny stick of metal was less than an inch long, and thinner than a paperclip.
- He had found an iron rod about a yard long on the riverbank.
- The structure, constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, is 200 metres long.
- I pulled at it and it turned out to be a three to three and a half inch long piece of metal.
- It came in a box about three feet long and two feet wide.
- The route itself is 73 miles long and would probably take the average walker five or six days.
- The fish must be forty five inches long.
- At the moment the longest leaf is 4 inches long, with half an inch of stem to the main stem.
- The explosive device is a foot long and shaped like a cigar.
- It is about seven foot long and - other than some mould on the wood - is in excellent condition.
- How long is your garden?
- The course is ten miles long with a five mile climb to the summit and a very fast descent over scree and rocks.
- How long is the scar?
- The longest bony fish in the sea, it grows up to nine metres long with a bright red crest that runs the entire length of its body.
Synonyms in length, lengthways, lengthwise - 1.2 (of a journey) covering a great distance.
Example sentencesExamples - Get up and stretch when on long journeys such as on a coach or plane.
- The long drive back offered everyone the chance to reflect on the trip.
- I've got to get up early in the morning as I have a long journey ahead of me.
- We were very quickly trained, flew at very low level for a long way at night and succeeded.
- In January 1642 the king left London and began a long journey round the Midlands and the north.
- It should go without saying that it's vital to ensure that the car is capable of a long journey.
- Now nearly 60, Andrew is working as a trainer on lower pay and with a long journey to work.
- ‘This is an awfully long walk,’ he said casually.
- The pilgrims had an extra long journey due to the extra security at the Airport.
- The couple had made the long journey from Kent for the bags, joining the queue at 12.30 am.
- They all looked bewildered and unkempt and had apparently had a very long journey.
- Wales march on, but for poor tired Italy, the long flight home will be a chance to reflect on what might have been.
- The long journey took its toll on the intrepid traveller as her petrol tank sprung a leak and her aerial fell off.
- Normally, cabbies asked to take clients on long journeys ask for the money up-front.
- Often his journeys involve long treks through remote regions, giving him time to look and think.
- I had a long journey ahead of me, but the reward far outweighed the cost in effort.
- By the time she got to Florida, the car had broken down and couldn't make the long journey back.
- Years ago you needed a big car to be comfortable on long journeys, but not any more.
- The weary mother wept as the bus began its long journey back to her small village.
- Anyone who misses the bus for the return journey must make the long walk home.
- 1.3 (of a ball in sports) traveling a great distance, or further than expected or intended.
he threw a long ball to the catcher Example sentencesExamples - Henry is at his best when receiving long breakaway ball which allows him to run at defenders.
- A long ball by the excellent Tommy Farrell was headed clear.
- Reed hit a long free kick and this time Graham Curry headed over his keeper into the unguarded net.
- Five minutes later Owen beat Dixon to a long through ball and side footed the ball past Seaman for a late, late winner.
- He can hit the long ball.
- The hilly golf terrain favored his long ball.
- One long Aberdeen ball upfield 30 seconds later and Riordan was to be harshly punished.
- 1.4 (of a garment or sleeves on a garment) covering the whole of a person's legs or arms.
a sweater with long sleeves Example sentencesExamples - He wore some kind of big baggy silken shirt with long sleeves that almost stretched down to the tips of his fingers.
- The girls of six to ten shall be given skirts or long dresses, and the boys of six to fourteen shall be provided with trousers.
- He was clothed in a soiled tunic and long trousers that barely hid his bronzed feet and grubby toenails.
- Shorts feel cool, but they can lead to burned legs: you need lightweight long trousers.
- In Kenya, for instance, native women prefer to see female tourists in long skirts and sleeves.
- Encumbered by her large handbag, she struggles keep her long skirt and shawl out of the mess.
- Though it was a good 75 degrees out he was wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt.
- Her scathing glance slid over me, taking in the baggy shirt and long skirt.
- A lot of my friends wore miniskirts but I liked my long summer dress which was more comfortable.
- I packed for Scotland with long sleeves and waterproofs but had to buy a t-shirt in the golf shop.
- I suggest he goes outside, puts on his first pair of long trousers, and then comes back.
- He wore black pants with a maroon shirt, the long sleeves pushed up to his elbows.
- They wore pale pink long dresses, fitted at the top and flowing at the bottom and carried cream and pink roses.
- The neck line dipped demurely and the long sleeves puffed slightly at the shoulders.
- She reached into the wardrobe and removed one of the long dresses that had caught her eye.
- He was a long white tunic reaching to the ankles and with long sleeves, made from white linen or wool.
- She was dressed in a long skirt, which is not part of our school uniform.
- I almost didn't notice her for a second, but she tugged impatiently on my long sleeve.
- He wore a light blue sweatshirt with long sleeves and blue or black tracksuit bottoms.
- Cyclists and motorcyclists should always wear a protective helmet and long sleeves.
- 1.5 Of elongated shape.
shaped like a torpedo, long and thin Example sentencesExamples - His face was long and thin, his eyes a pale blue.
- The pancakes are served on long, thin wooden plates reflecting their size and shape.
- The walls were covered in sponges and a few anemones but the beauty of the cave lay in its long, narrow shape.
- It was a room of narrow but long shape, with two glassless windows with wooden shutters.
- Just make sure you have a suitably long implement with which to scrape out the marrow so you can spread it on some toast.
- Addington is the larger of two adjacent long barrows overlooking a tributary of the Medway.
- He has long thin sideburns and was wearing silver oblong small-frame silver glasses.
- Picking up a long pole with a hooked end, a farmer plucks down a pod and cleaves it open with a cutlass.
- I've noticed that a lot of people seem to be carrying long thin hockey stick shaped bags.
- Then they transfer the dye colours to it and roll out the substance into a long and thin shape.
- Well, let me just say that I'm sat at the computer drinking from a long, fluted glass.
- This is a long thin instrument with a light source at its tip, to light up the inside of the abdomen or pelvis.
- He walked over to a tree with a hollow in it, and pulled out a large bag with something long and thin in it.
- Now everyone's in a movie, or a TV show, drinking champagne out of long flutes on a Friday night.
- Food is served on long low tables, tall enough to allow guests to sit cross legged and to belly up to the edge.
- There is a knack to dealing with a mango, which contains a long, thin stone to which the flesh clings for dear life.
- Fill the bag with the roux and pipe long sausages of the mixture on to the tray.
- The finger bun was long and thin and had pink icing on top.
- His spear was simple, as well: a long, reasonably thin shaft of wood with an iron point at the end.
- I was trying to explain to Thomas that these long thin clouds were from planes, and were kind of like train tracks.
- 1.6informal (of a person) tall.
Example sentencesExamples - He was a long lean man with grey eyes.
- A long woman standing nearby was staring at us.
2Lasting or taking a great amount of time. a long and distinguished career she took a long time to dress Example sentencesExamples - Subsequently I have battled a lot of physical ailments, some of long duration.
- Aged 39, he was looking forward to a long and successful career in local government.
- I actually managed to get my long speech done in two takes which I was delighted with.
- They spent long periods chasing the ball.
- If they open their windows, the smell pervades their homes and lingers there for a long time.
- If you are going on vacation for a long period, you can ask the neighbour to keep a watch on your home.
- The irregular working hours and long gaps between jobs meant I had lots of time for boyfriends.
- It took her quite a long time to get dressed and undressed.
- Colleagues today paid tribute to their engine driver, who had made many friends during his long career.
- Sometimes he takes a long time between balls and then, for a change, he simply turns and comes right at you.
- At the end of another match he surprised the crowd by breaking into a long speech about Oscar Wilde.
- Nicole said that she did not think she would be ready to marry anyone for a long time.
- After an excruciatingly long pause, Amy gasped.
- Once the trailers were over, there was an unusually long pause when the screen was just black.
- Loud arguments and minor scuffles are a common sight, as the long wait wears down patience.
- Swindon Traffic Police said long delays were expected due to the volume of the traffic.
- Britain's defeat means their long search for a gold medal in the men's team pursuit goes on.
- Health problems need to be attended to and resolved or they can linger for a long time.
- However, if you had been a drugs dealer, you could have expected a long prison sentence.
- The author had a long career in journalism and his final post was that of executive editor of the European.
Synonyms prolonged, protracted, lengthy, overlong, extended, long-drawn-out, drawn-out, spun-out, dragged-out, seemingly endless, lingering, interminable - 2.1 (after a noun of duration and in questions) lasting or taking a specified amount of time.
the debates will be 90 minutes long Example sentencesExamples - Last week I began a month-long experiment during which Im trying to drink only water.
- This can be entirely attributed to my participation in a six-and-a-half hour long meeting.
- The longest individual work here is a little over 11 minutes long, many last less than a minute.
- How long do you have noticeable bruising and scars after facial surgery?
- I wonder - how long have you enjoyed gardening, and what helped to develop your interest in it?
- The final excitement for my week was the several hour long blackout at work yesterday.
- They used two bits from the hour long interview, and not the bits that I would necessarily have chosen.
- The government has organised a year-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of the late reggae icon Robert 'Bob' Nesta Marley.
- So on the morning of the test we had an hour long lesson where we basically had to drive up to Palmer's Green to the test centre.
- My only question now is how long will I have to wait before house prices return to sensible levels again?
- As if rowing and golfing hadn't been enough for one day, I then went for a hour long swim.
- How long did it take for women to get the right to vote?
- All sessions are 2 hours long.
- If houses were built right next to the youth club, how long before the new owners object to the noise and disruption?
- The only question in her mind, was how long would it take for everything to work out?
- The question was asked how long would it take to recoup the cost of parking meters when few people were using some of the places.
- 2.2 Seeming to last more time than is the case; lengthy or tedious.
serving long hours on the committee Example sentencesExamples - The tired and weary doormen can only hope it is not too long a night.
- I try to go shopping where they wrap for you, otherwise I have a long night of cursing and weeping.
- He had a solid game that day; as much as could be possibly expected after long months on the sidelines.
- He candidly admits in the book he spent months on the couch and long hours with a marriage counsellor.
- Trapped in the house together during the long curfew hours, Marie spent her days making marmalade.
- He has been here since the camp started, and the long nights get boring.
- I was very grateful to have one night at home, because I knew that it was going to be a long and crazy week.
- I haven't seen Liam for a while but when I do it'll probably be a very long night!
- We turned into bed early that night, readying ourselves for what we expected would be a long day.
- There were long, wet days when our house seemed so gloomy that I once burst into tears just driving up to it.
- They both walked up the stairs to get dressed for the long day that lay ahead of them.
- It's been a long and very busy week, and the week ahead looks about the same, and I desperately need to wind down.
- Working in a sterile office for three long years left me repressed and saddened by the world.
- A few days went by and it seemed like the summer was going to be very long and heading towards boring.
- She doesn't have a job and isn't allowed to go out, so she fills the long hours every day by teaching her kids how to swear.
- We hid for another five long cold hours, well into the night, as we sped across the desert towards the city.
- There were long days when I was on my own with the physiotherapists, but it's all paid off.
- Six thirty in the evening and she was already dressed for the duration of a long night ahead.
- The lack of a break after a long year's tedious work will reduce the efficiency of teachers.
- They were entertained through the long dark hours by live music and a fireworks display.
- 2.3 (of a person's memory) retaining things for a great amount of time.
Example sentencesExamples - Those of us with long political memories tend to look back at events of the past and expect history to repeat itself.
- Those with long memories can recall what happened in the city of Ann Arbor, in the early 1970s.
- Wiltshire people have long memories as the County Council cabinet will find to their cost.
- The Parisian spectators have long memories and they do not like a bad loser.
- Maybe the voters will have long memories when the next elections come around.
- I'm a historian with a long memory and a sentimental attachment to my past.
- Although he affects a gentle demeanour, O'Leary has a long memory and his opinions can be acidic.
- You don't need a long memory to have perspective in sport, just a memory.
3Relatively great in extent. a long list of candidates Example sentencesExamples - I made a long list of promises to God of how good I'd be in future if only we could get this sorted out.
- Inquiry reports are often long, comprehensive, densely written, and hard to read.
- The long list of activities includes boxing training, snooker and computer games.
- Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients: it is really easy to make.
- Now they have turned to a police offender profiler to try and narrow down a long list of potential suspects.
- While both men have a long list of achievements to their credit, neither is in the first flush of youth.
- He was the original Hollywood heart-throb, a star with good looks and a long list of lovers.
- Ms Kelly said the department eventually put out a long report so that no one would notice its conclusions.
- I met a German lady who sat in the piazza with a dictionary so that she could write a long letter to me.
- Vegetarians are well catered for and the chef will rustle up a long list of meat-free dishes on request.
- Despite a long list of honorary titles she has remained far from grand.
- The former president has a long list of credits not only here at home but abroad.
- The vegetarian menu takes up a page, and there is a long list of fish and poultry dishes.
- Getting older no longer leads to a long list of activities that you fear even attempting.
- All I came up with was a series of brain achingly long reports that left me more confused than when I started.
- Rarely before had such a long novel been allowed the integrity to express itself.
- The attacks are the latest in a long list of violent crimes to have blighted Yorkshire in the last month.
- Replacing the bathroom was way down on a long list of home improvement jobs, but it has now made it to the top.
- Lots of things are bad for us, including a long list of potentially unhealthy foods.
- An incredibly long menu makes perfect sense in head office, but causes havoc in the kitchen.
- 3.1 (after a noun of extent and in questions) having a specified extent.
the statement was three pages long Example sentencesExamples - How long will each section of the report be?
- I've got a list of things about five sheets long to work on.
- How long is the book?
- The full hand-written letter had originally been presented as just one sheet of paper but it is actually ten sides long.
- The script, he says, is approximately 800-1000 pages long, the equivalent to eight to ten hours of dialogue.
4Phonetics
(of a vowel) categorized as long with regard to quality and length (e.g., in standard American English, the vowel /uː/ in food is long, as distinct from the short vowel /ʊ/ in good). Example sentencesExamples - The big problem with long vowels is that there is more than one way to spell the same sound.
- In French, Italian, and Scottish English long vowels occur in a narrow range of positions and in general do not affect meaning.
- French long vowels always occur on stressed syllables.
- 4.1Prosody (of a vowel or syllable) having the greater of the two recognized durations.
Example sentencesExamples - Let's assume that long syllables take just twice as long to say as short ones.
- A trochee is a metrical foot of two syllables, the first long and the second short.
- Vocal delivery feels like a poetry reading, spoken as much as sung, but with long drawn syllables.
5(of odds or a chance) reflecting or representing a low level of probability. winning against long odds you're taking a long chance Example sentencesExamples - In reality I knew the odds were long, and that my tendency towards scepticism would hold strong.
- Finally the soldier muttered something to the effect that he was going to take the long chance.
- If you were a betting man, you could have got long odds on such a run of bad luck.
- Given how things went into qualifying, it was quite a long call to expect a podium finish.
- There was an element of ill luck, but every so often, as gamblers would tell us, long odds do come off.
- The odds are long that the venture will be a success.
- Despite the long odds, she's hoping someone in the unemployment lines will take up the challenge.
- The odds are long, the rewards are high, but there is no assurance of winning.
- Today is merely the start of a difficult but worthy process undertaken against long odds.
6Finance
(of shares, bonds, or other assets) bought in advance, with the expectation of a rise in price. Example sentencesExamples - Provided that restricted shares can be bought at a deep discount to market, it would make much sense for the group holding long shares to try and convert those shares into a far greater number of restricted shares.
- Is there a worldwide shortage of long bonds?
- That does not rule out the potential of long stocks that are going up during a down- trending market, but the probability of that happening is not as high as the alternative.
- For this reason, their value is often calculated by making reference to the long bond yield.
- After all, back in the seventies, the long bond yield was up in the mid teens.
- 6.1 (of a broker or their position in the market) buying or based on long stocks.
Example sentencesExamples - This is so because the central bank is on the long side of the bond market most of the time.
- Traders are well advised to enter into a long position and place a protective stop below the latest low in the market.
- Buy-ins are generated by a long broker to close out an open fail with a counterparty.
- Traders and investors who limit themselves to long positions are conceding a big advantage to market professionals who are just as likely to go short as go long.
- When markets turn vulnerable, the enterprising speculator may this time decide to reverse his long position and go short.
- 6.2 (of a security) maturing at a distant date.
Example sentencesExamples - Issuers who are unwilling to pay the price to sell these long securities can instead sell shorter maturities.
- Long securities are such a good substitute for cash.
7long oninformal Well-supplied with. an industry that seems long on ideas but short on cash Example sentencesExamples - And while Scotland were long on perspiration, they were woefully short on inspiration.
- They are long on opinions, but short on evidence.
- The hearing which followed was long on plausibility, but short on actuality.
- Both movies are extremely long on mystery and innuendo.
- Many of the businesses we work in seem long on management and short on leadership.
- He is long on promises, but short on accomplishments.
- The minister has shown she is long on rhetoric but short on action.
noun 1A long interval or period. Example sentencesExamples - Why does it take so long to mend an escalator?
- Before long they had three young daughters.
- Before too long the mass denial and the conspiracy theories will flourish again.
- A family business cannot survive for long without a family to run as well as own it.
- He insisted that he had problems adapting to society after spending so long behind bars.
- Before long, fantasy not only intrudes into reality but becomes the only reality.
- Then discuss it, but not for long, because this is a technique actors use to delay standing up and doing it.
- Before long the story spread throughout the city of the crazy man who had purchased a dream.
- Before long you're plotting weekends cycling in the country and perhaps a touring holiday or two.
Synonyms soon, shortly, presently, in the near future, in a short time, in a little while, in a minute, in a moment 2A long sound such as a long signal in Morse code or a long vowel or syllable. Example sentencesExamples - SOS is three longs, followed by three shorts, and another three longs.
- He blew two longs, a short and a long on the steam whistle as the train inched toward its top speed of 20 miles an hour.
3longsFinance
Long-dated securities, especially gilt-edged securities. Example sentencesExamples - In a weekly uptrend, continue adding to longs whenever the force index turns negative; continually add to shorts in downtrends whenever the force index turns positive.
- As such we have exited longs and will look to buy again after the coming retracement.
- If the dollar rises, gold will face pressure and may need to shake out more of the weaker longs before resuming its rise.
- At this level we will accumulate dollar longs and warn buyers of gold stocks to watch out for a renewed decline if the dollar's seasonal pattern holds true.
- 3.1 Assets held in a long position.
Example sentencesExamples - Looking at the pattern of returns emerging from the whole portfolio - mixing up longs and shorts and any currency overlays - does not give enough information.
- The risk of the longs is that the price will fall.
- What this tells us is that the funds had begun to not only eliminate longs but were in the process of actually building a short position since the technical indicators had all flipped negative.
adverb 1For a long time. we hadn't known them long an experience they will long remember his long-awaited Grand Prix debut Example sentencesExamples - On Booker shortlists, the preponderance of some subjects over others has long been a source of comment.
- Journalists, and their editors, have long rankled at the obvious attempt at manipulation.
- This was a darts match that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it.
- The prospect of a woman defeating a man in sport has long had allure in America.
- In the United States, voting has long been a minority activity; so it is becoming in Britain.
- Einstein had long lived in horror of his bomb, which was supposed to erase evil from the planet.
- Having been a racegoer for twenty years there are a couple of performances that live long in the memory.
- At barbecues, food must not be left lying around too long outside and must be cooked thoroughly.
- I will think long and hard before I give my number out again.
- The Government Information Service had long been a byword for incompetence.
- Rangers and United had their moments, but not enough at either end to make it a match that will live long in the memory.
- The film has a power that causes it to linger long in the memory.
- Nor are you likely to be waiting here long before somebody recognises your need for a cold drink or a coffee.
- I like my job, but other than that, there aren't really many reasons for me to stay long at all.
- Both initiatives came into effect yesterday and both are things the taxi drivers have long campaigned for.
- The Roman Catholic Church has long been criticised for failing to keep up with the times.
- They had long been sought by police in connection with a series of violent motorcycle thefts.
- Don't you think that cloud is staying there awfully long?
- Scotland has long had a relatively low population compared with similar European countries.
- He has channelled his emotional pain into a vigorous and passionate account that will live long in my memory.
- 1.1 In questions about a period of time.
how long have you been working? Example sentencesExamples - We asked them questions too, about how long they had been there and when they would be getting out.
- A key question is how long it will take for new policies to take effect.
- I'm hopeful that I will find another job but who knows how long it will take.
- Find out how long it will last and what type of questions you will be asked so you can track the progress of the interview.
- I'm not sure if I should join as I don't know how long I will stay with the company.
- Checking into a hotel that night, he was asked how long he was staying.
- I'm not sure how long you have lived away from these shores but the British Empire does not exist anymore.
- But organisers are not sure how long they can keep it going without more volunteers to help run it.
- Questions ranged from how long the baby had been on mother's milk to how often the baby fell sick.
- Dedicated nurses will let the patient know how long they could be waiting for treatment.
- Mr Atkins said it was unknown how long the building would be closed for.
- Have I been a raging misogynist for this long and simply not realised it?
- He did not say how long the military would delay an attack on the headquarters.
- Tell me about Jodie, how long you'd known her and how close you were, what sort of person she was.
- I can't look at that picture without wondering how long it took them to get those shadows under his eyes.
- Police said they had no idea how long the factory had been in operation, but estimated it to be around three or four months.
- How long he can remain on the fence is a question for an uncertain future.
- How do you prepare for the winter when you have no clue how long it will last?
- David isn't really sure how long he'll be here.
- When Scots meet me for the first time, they always ask how long I've been here.
- 1.2 At a time distant from a specified event or point of time.
the work was compiled long after his death it was abandoned long ago Example sentencesExamples - The match proved a disaster for striker Ryan Senior, who broke a leg not long after his goal.
- Helen's lust for him died long before the end of the war.
- We lost faith in pensions long ago.
- There is no doubt that the Allies knew about the death camps long before the Russians liberated Majdanek.
- All of the gospel writers wrote their stories of Jesus' teaching and actions long after his death.
- I'd go with my pals and play football or go cycling, even though this was long before mountain bikes came along.
- Bob sleighing was popular in and around La Plagne long before the Olympic course was built.
- Tunisia put the ball in Spain's net, but the whistle had long since gone for offside.
- Doctors Hilary and Alan Hill fell in love with Argyll long before moving there.
- Several of the action sequences will live in the memory long after the end of the final credits.
- The men long ago stopped wearing tribal costumes.
- I gave up alcohol long ago as it would completely destroy me for days after.
- I do not hear my mother come out of the sitting room until long after I have gone to bed.
- The rock was a meteorite, blasted off the Red Planet long ago by the impact of a comet.
- Some of these books were on the shelves long before I started to use the library nine years ago.
- I gave up smoking long ago.
- Not long ago, my partner and I went on a week's vacation to Sicily.
- Yet the Olympics have long since ceased to be a jamboree for the elite.
- Meanwhile a forlorn figure leant against a goalpost long after the finish.
- It's a particularly unfashionable old hat that ought to have gone to the charity shop long ago.
- 1.3comparative, with negative After an implied point of time.
he could not wait any longer Example sentencesExamples - They will not keep you any longer than necessary.
- Her father was a very important man in the city and he could not stay any longer no matter what his daughter wished.
- We won't wait any longer for this country's children have health care and a quality education.
- 1.4 (after a noun of duration) throughout a specified period of time.
Example sentencesExamples - All night long the hockey pictures gaze down at you sleeping in your tracksuit.
- The training period was pleasantly like being paid money to play cards all day long.
- It is no secret that Shutt has worked all year long to find such a player.
- I almost felt like bursting into tears because we've taken so much flak all year long.
- One Act Play Weekends showcase two to four plays that are, you guessed it, one act long.
- They will be in bloom all summer long, and require very little attention.
- I have to spend my precious day off in front of a PC doing nothing but geeky stuff all day long.
- I'd throw a ball against the wall of our house all day long to learn the basics because I had no-one to play with.
- There is a cinema which shows movies all day long and I am actually off to watch one in a few minutes.
- The Percy committee is busy fund raising all year long to come up with the money for their event.
- Fatigue didn't matter, the ten men of Brazil could have kept the ball all day long and England knew it.
- This is one of my all time favourite dishes - I could eat it all day long.
- The seniors told us, the new students, to do a lot of silly things all day long.
- It's had a great spirit all season long and everybody came through for everybody else.
- It is Everton who have been playing a cup final every week, all season long.
- Hayfever hits as many as one in ten of us every year, but for some allergy sufferers, the symptoms can last all year long.
2(with reference to the ball in sports) at, to, or over a great distance, or further than expected or intended. the quarterback dropped back and threw the ball long Example sentencesExamples - Unfortunately we fell into that trap and started just lumping the ball long which isn't our style.
- Pete started off on the first tee hitting the ball very long and right down the middle.
- Instead, he pulls ten men back and hoofs the ball long, to be chased or held up by a willing workhorse.
- Bristol had a lineout on their own line and hooker Neil McCarthy threw the ball long.
- The front two had little support other than balls knocked long to alleviate the pressure.
- 2.1 Beyond the point aimed at; too far.
Example sentencesExamples - The ball went long and out of play.
- The Belgian then began to get flustered and started spraying the balls long and wide.
- It was only towards the end that Murray put some real beef into his shots, and then too often the ball flew long or wide.
- You can hit the ball harder and take a longer swing while minimizing the risk of sending the ball long.
- Too often Rio Ferdinand looked up and knocked it long because he didn't have an option.
Phrases 1During the whole time that. they have been there as long as anyone can remember Example sentencesExamples - For as long as I can remember, my home city has had pretensions to be something that it is not.
- Scotland is a magnificent country which has voted Labour for as long as most of us can remember.
- He said it was a great day for the town and one he would remember as long as he lived.
- Ducks have been part of the village scene in Bledington for as long as anyone can remember.
- His mother taught six- and seven-year-olds at the local school and had done for as long as he could remember.
- Newton's theory of gravity will be used as long as there are scientists on this planet.
- I'm not sure when this one got started, but it has been going on as long as I can remember.
- Ever have a picture on the wall, or something on a shelf that seemed to be there for as long as you can remember?
- The first house was empty, boarded up, and had been for as long as the boy could remember.
- There had been no rain in the valley for as long as the children could remember.
as long as you fed him, he would be cooperative Example sentencesExamples - I don't care what I look like when fishing, so long as I am mobile and, if possible, not too hot or too cold.
- They don't mind what anyone else does or is - so long as they get equal freedom in return.
- The advantage of the essay question is that you can play to your strengths - so long as what you write is relevant.
- These can be a good idea, as long as you remember to revisit your accounts at the end of the bonus period.
- The government maintains that it does not matter who provides the services so long as they are publicly funded.
- People have the right to live how they choose, so long as they do not place themselves or others in danger.
- We are happy for anyone to pick this up as long as it is not used for any commercial purpose.
- There are few moral limits imposed, so long as what happens is between consenting adults.
- What we do with our private lives seems not to matter, as long as it doesn't harm anyone else.
- Security is not a problem as long as you never give anyone your password or security details.
Take a long time to happen or arrive. sit down, tea won't be long it won't be long before you're hooked Example sentencesExamples - It will not be long before you can buy network television programming without ads for a monthly fee.
- Tell them I won't be long.
- He knew the twelve o'clock train would not be long.
- I'm sure it won't be long before someone decides they really should get that old lotto ticket in their wallet checked out, and finds themselves a little bit richer.
- It may not be long before Americans see a new English hero.
Over or after a long period of time; eventually. it saves money in the long run Example sentencesExamples - He said two teachers had already been recruited but they were looking for about ten more in the long run.
- They may trap you for several years on a variable rate which could prove expensive in the long run.
- Although bosses admit the changes will cause teething problems they say it will work well in the long run.
- Constantly exceeding the normal hours of work is not, in the long run, of benefit to employers.
- Of course it would be difficult, but the benefits in the long run would be worth it.
- I gave up music to do Latin because I thought it would be better in the long run.
- Engineering skills are no longer appreciated in this country and we will all suffer in the long run for it.
- As well as improving performance, the new units would also save money in the long run.
- The project will both use a renewable source of power as well as save the university money in the long run.
- The earlier you take action, the less money it will cost you in the long run.
Synonyms eventually, in the end, ultimately, when all is said and done, in the final analysis, in the fullness of time
long ago an unmarried girl was considered her father's property as modifier time has marched on since my long-ago youth Example sentencesExamples - The energy is all derived from the photosynthesis of plants long ago.
- The Andamanese have a number of stories which are told to the younger people by their elders and relate to the doings of their ancestors in a time long ago.
- Attempts to transmute other metals to gold may have been made as long ago as the Bronze Age.
- Longer ago than I care to remember, I was privileged enough to be elected student union president of my college.
- It might have been part of a pirate or a viking ship long ago.
- Long ago, barbers played a prominent role in medicine and dentistry.
- Long ago when I was in high school, my baseball coach provided "oil of wintergreen" for our sore muscles.
- It's way too late but these children should have been adopted by capable parents long ago.
- Long ago, marriage was more financially motivated than a matter of the heart.
- Long ago, ice used to be a novelty, shipped across the world in massive chunks carved from frozen lakes and rivers.
the long and the short of it All that can or need be said. the long and short of it is that he got himself mugged Example sentencesExamples - I'm just somebody serving food and that's the long and the short of it.
- And then the long and the short of it was that we went back to where we stayed and there was no sign of her back there.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that when the lights go down in the house there are five of us in the audience (in a theatre holding 98), and what we see is absolutely marvellous.
- So, the long and the short of it was that twice a day, a swarm of four hundred eleven- to sixteen-year-olds would attempt to cross the busiest road in the south of England by bike.
- I had some blood tests a couple of weeks ago, to see how the drug has been working and, the long and the short of it is, it hasn't.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I have a trial session booked up for Thursday after work.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that in the check in line on my way to Germany, I realised I had my Swiss Army Knife in my pocket.
- He's shell shocked, is the long and the short of it.
- The long and the short of it is that we pay ourselves too well and the cost has to be recouped by service and product providers.
- Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I got a free new modem out of it.
Example sentencesExamples - I think I am too long in the tooth to start adopting the dress down policy of many of today's businesses.
- I'm a bit too long in the tooth to get too worked up about these things any more.
- His gaggle of girlfriends all seem suspiciously long in the tooth to qualify as high-school students.
- After a career in building he decided he was too long in the tooth and looked to something more gentle - funeral directory.
- I'm only 29 so I hope that doesn't make me long in the tooth, I started driving a logging truck when I was 17.
- My old home computer was getting a little long in the tooth, so I decided it was time to upgrade to a speedy new machine.
- I'm too long in the tooth and I'm too old to be bluffed.
- But the car was looking increasingly long in the tooth, despite continuous design improvements.
- ‘I felt we were getting a bit long in the tooth,’ he said.
- He assures me he is far too long in the tooth to compete against the current world title holders, who nowadays are in their teens.
informal It is a long time since we last met (used as a greeting). Example sentencesExamples - ‘Hello, long time no see,’ Astor remarked to Belinda as the ladies crowded into the somewhat ungenerous dressing room.
- ‘Hey Zoë, long time no see,’ he greeted casually.
- Sweetie, long time no see, where have you been hiding?
- Hey there stranger, long time no see.
- Mark, the instructor who I've mentioned before in a post said hi, and asked where I was… long time no see.
- Kevin turned around, and smiled politely, ‘Hey Conner, long time no see.’
- I never stopped to say hello, long time no see.
- So nice of you to join us Andrew, long time no see.
- She was about to pick up one of her bags when she saw Sam looking at her, ‘Hi, long time no see.’
- ‘Oh, hello, Ryan, long time no see,’ Adrienne's father, Michael Moore greeted me when I rang their doorbell.
not long ago he came across a rattlesnake outside his house Example sentencesExamples - Not long ago most economists in the US were lamenting the fact that we had such a low savings rate while Japan had such a high savings rate.
- I did a Washington fundraiser gig not long ago.
- This reminds me of a discussion I had with a friend not long ago.
- This subject came up not long ago at a dinner party.
- Not long ago such a demand would have seemed both radical and unfeasible.
- Not long ago, bicycles were the main mode of transportation here.
- You may not be aware that her father died not long ago.
- The Foreign Minister spoke to journalists not long ago.
- Not long ago, I began rereading the novels of Jane Austen.
- Not long ago a friend of mine moved to Bangalore.
Synonyms not long ago, a short time ago, in the last few days, in the last few months, in the last few weeks, in the past few days, in the past few months, in the past few weeks, a little while back
Think beyond the current situation; plan for the future. Example sentencesExamples - He came across as the charismatic voice of reason, talking sense and taking the long view.
- As a company we are not taken in by fads, we take the long view.
- The energy industry has always had to take the long view.
- If history teaches us anything, it's to take the long view.
- But as a technology publication, we like to take the long view here, and we try to determine the long-term viability of technologies, not just their instant gratification factor.
- In the hyperactive world of investing - with its rapid trades and lust for instant wealth - some analysts take the long view.
- He had held many of his views since early adulthood, and he took the long view.
- Rarely do government officials take the long view.
- Conservative strategists taking the long view must already be realizing the next election, generally expected just a few months from now, could turn out disastrously for the new party.
- It would seem that in this one unique instance the government is taking the long view.
Origin Old English lang, long (adjective), lange, longe (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German lang. verb [no object]Have a strong wish or desire. she longed for a little more excitement with infinitive we are longing to see the new baby Example sentencesExamples - How he longed for the summer when they would both jet off to Italy for their special times together.
- According to what few accounts we have of him he thought the word of his daughter and longed to see her again.
- He ached for her and longed to show her that he loved her and that he wouldn't leave her.
- I've always longed for a sweet and affectionate, yet unbelievably cool, nickname.
- She laughs and says she has longed for the ring for a great time and wished to take it.
- I longed for a digital system that would hold the information from the letters and leave paper and dust behind.
- She longed to see a powerful revival among the neglected and helpless widows of India.
- I longed for my parents to hire a horse-drawn cab instead of a taxi but that did not happen.
- I longed to return to the crime narrative to find out what happens next.
- Her husband believes she is David's biggest fan and she has longed to meet him since she was a schoolgirl.
- They do not understand how much I long for it, how I have longed for it ever since I was a girl.
- It was not much more than a shack but soon they were joined by local women who had longed for the day when a convent would be opened.
- Rupert and Robin both hated boarding school and they longed to live at home.
- I longed for a bath, clean linen and a bed - any kind of bed that would allow me to stretch and relax.
- There have been moments, many of them, when I have longed to be re-united with it.
- She had longed so eagerly to charm, to be desired, to be wildly attractive and sought after.
- Oh how I longed for a platform indicator that actually told you when the next train was due, not just where it was going.
- I longed to get a steady rhythm going and muttered impatiently that we had a mountain to climb.
- He played football but longed to be a kick-boxer, a dream that perished on the rock of short and stumpy legs.
- He longed to know what nobility was exactly, so he could be sure that he had it.
Synonyms yearn, pine, ache, wish, burn, hanker after, hanker for, hunger, thirst, itch, pant, hope, be eager, be desperate, be consumed with desire, be unable to wait, would give one's eye teeth
Origin 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’. |