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Long Time I Longer Lot Longest Adjective Length

Word3 long
WordType (adjective)
Phonetic /lɒŋ/ /lɔːŋ/
Example
  • she had long dark hair.
  • he walked down the long corridor.
  • it was the world's longest bridge.
  • a long journey/walk/drive/flight
Sound Online sound. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/media/english/us_pron/l/lon/long_/long__us_8.mp3
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Content

long

(adjective)/lɒŋ/ /lɔːŋ/

    Word Family

    • long adjective adverb
    • length noun
    • lengthy adjective
    • lengthen verb
  1. measuring or covering a great length or distance, or a greater length or distance than usual
    • OPPOSITE short
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/short_2
    • She had long dark hair.
    • He walked down the long corridor.
    • It was the world's longest bridge.
    • a long journey/walk/drive/flight
    • We're a long way from anywhere here.
    • It's a long way away.
    • He had long, thin fingers.
    • a lush meadow of long grass

    Extra Examples

    • Economy class can be uncomfortable for those with extra-long legs.
    • His drive to work is fairly long.
    • That dress looks a bit long to me.
    • After the hurricane, many are forced to wait in very long lines to get food or gas.
  2. used for asking or talking about particular lengths or distances
    • How long is the River Nile?
    • The table is six feet long.
    • The report is only three pages long.
  3. lasting or taking a great amount of time or more time than usual
    • OPPOSITE short
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/short_2
    • He’s been ill (for) a long time.
    • There was a long silence before she spoke.
    • I like it now the days are getting longer (= it stays light for more time each day).
    • a long book/film/list (= taking a lot of time to read/watch/deal with)
    • Nurses have to work long hours (= for more hours in the day than is usual).
    • He stared at them for the longest time (= for a very long time) before answering.
    • Chicago has a long history of country music.
    • to have a long life/career

    Extra Examples

    • an unusually long pause
    • He let out a long, slow breath.
    • It took me a long time to accept the situation.
    • Winters are long and severe in the far north.
  4. used for asking or talking about particular periods of time
    • SEE ALSO age-long
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/age-long
    • How long is the course?
    • I think it's only three weeks long.
    • How long a stay did you have in mind?
  5. seeming to last or take more time than it really does because, for example, you are very busy or not happy
    • OPPOSITE short
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/short_2
    • I'm tired. It's been a long day.
    • We were married for ten long years.
  6. covering all or most of your legs or arms
    • OPPOSITE short
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/short_2
    • She usually wears long skirts.
    • a long-sleeved shirt
  7. having a lot of a particular quality
    • The government is long on ideas but short on performance.
  8. a long vowel is pronounced for a longer time than other vowels
    • OPPOSITE short
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/short_2
    • Compare the long vowel in ‘beat’ and the short vowel in ‘bit’.
  9. very long
    • There's a list of repairs as long as your arm.
  10. not longer than the particular time given
    • It will take an hour at the longest.
  11. after a long time
    • SYNONYM finally
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/finally
    • At long last his prayers had been answered.
  12. by a great amount
    • He was the best by a long way.
  13. to have known each other for a long time
    • We go back a long way, he and I.
  14. to last a long time
    • She seems to make her money go a long way.
    • A small amount of this paint goes a long way (= covers a large area).
    • I find that a little of Jerry's company can go a long way (= I quickly get tired of being with him).
  15. to help very much/a little in achieving something
    • The new law goes a long way towards solving the problem.
  16. to have made a lot of progress
    • We've come a long way since the early days of the project.
    • The study of genes has come a long way in recent years.
  17. to need to make a lot of progress before you can achieve something
    • She still has a long way to go before she's fully fit.
  18. used to say that there is no definite answer to a question
    • ‘How long will it take?’ ‘How long's a piece of string?’
  19. relating to a longer period in the future
    • This measure inevitably means higher taxes in the long run.
  20. used to describe what will happen a long, short, etc. time in the future
    • Such a development seems unlikely, at least in the short term (= it will not happen for quite a long time).
    • In the longer term, children of depressed mothers are more likely to suffer from childhood depression.
    • In the long term, our efforts will pay off.
  21. it makes no real difference which of two possible choices you make
  22. used to say that the reasons for something are complicated and you would prefer not to give all the details
  23. to reject something or treat it as not important; to stop dealing with a problem
    • He tends to deal with disputes by kicking them into the long grass.
  24. used when you are telling somebody the essential facts about something or what effect it will have, without explaining all the details
  25. the power and/or authority of something
    • There is no escape from the long arm of the law.
  26. (to have) an unhappy or disappointed expression
    • He took one look at her long face and said ‘What’s wrong?’
    • The news for the company isn't good, judging from the long faces in the boardroom.
  27. old or too old
  28. an attempt or a guess that is not likely to be successful but is worth trying
    • It's a long shot, but it just might work.
  29. used when you are saying that you will get to the point of what you are saying quickly, without including all the details
    • To cut a long story short, we didn’t get home until 3 in the morning!
    • Anyway, long story short: we had this argument and I haven't seen him since.
  30. used to say hello to somebody you have not seen for a long time
  31. not nearly; not at all
    • It's not over yet—not by a long chalk.
  32. to consider a problem or possibility very carefully and without hurrying
    • We need to take a long, hard look at all the options.
  33. to consider what is likely to happen or be important over a long period of time rather than only considering the present situation
    • As pension funds are investing for members’ retirements, they can take the long view.

    Word Origin

    • adjective Old English lang, long (adjective), lange, longe (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German lang.
Copyright This card's content is collected from the following dictionaries: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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