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a long time


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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
long1 /lɔŋ, lɑŋ/USA pronunciation   adj., long•er /ˈlɔŋgɚ, ˈlɑŋ-/USA pronunciation  long•est 
    /ˈlɔŋgɪst, ˈlɑŋ-/USA pronunciation   n., adv. 
    adj. 
    1. having considerable or greater than usual measurement in length or distance:a long table; a long way to travel.
    2. lasting a considerable length of time:a long story; a long trip.
    3. extending, lasting, measuring, or totaling a number of specified units:[after a noun]The river was eight miles long.
    4. containing many items:a long list.
    5. extending beyond normal, moderate, or desired limits:He's been working long hours.
    6. reaching well into the past:a long record of hatred.
    7. taking a long time;
      slow:He was long in getting here.
    8. forward-looking;
      long-range:taking the long view.
    9. intense, thorough, or critical;
      seriously examining:took a long look at his life.
    10. having a good or large supply or endowment:He's long on brains.
    11. being against great odds;
      unlikely:a long chance.
    12. Phonetics
      • (of a speech sound) lasting a relatively long time:long vowels.
      • having the sound of the English vowels in mate, meet, mite, mote, moot, and mute:The long vowels are sometimes written with a macron on top of them, as ā, ē, ī, and ō.

    n. 
    1. a comparatively long time:[uncountable]They haven't been gone for long.
    2. Clothing
      • [uncountable] a size of garments for men who are taller than average.
      • [countable] a garment in this size.

    adv. 
    1. for or through a great extent of space or, esp., time:a reform that has long been needed.
    2. for or throughout a period or extent, esp. of time:How long did he stay?
    3. at a point of time far distant from the time indicated:long before now.
    Idioms
    1. Idioms as long as:
      • provided that:You can watch television as long as you have finished your homework.
      • seeing that;
        since:As long as you're going, I'll go too.
      • Also, so long as. during the time that;
        while:As long as he has been in charge that division has done well.
    2. Idioms before long, soon:I hope I get to see you before long.
    3. Idioms the long and (the) short of it, [~ + be + (that) clause] the essential point or end result:The long and short of it is that they'll have to sell the house.


long2 /lɔŋ, lɑŋ/USA pronunciation   v. 
  1. to have an earnest or strong desire or craving;
    yearn: [~ + for + object]to long for spring.[~ + to + verb]He longed to return home.[~ + for + object + to + verb]longed for her to kiss him.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
long1  (lông, long),USA pronunciation adj. long•er (lông′gər, long′-),USA pronunciation long•est 
    (lông′gist, long′-),USA pronunciation n., adv. 
    adj. 
    1. having considerable linear extent in space:a long distance; a long handle.
    2. having considerable duration in time:a long conversation; a long while.
    3. extending, lasting, or totaling a number of specified units:eight miles long; eight hours long.
    4. containing many items or units:a long list.
    5. requiring a considerable time to relate, read, etc.:a long story.
    6. extending beyond normal or moderate limits:a long, boring speech.
    7. experienced as passing slowly, because of the difficulty, tedium, or unpleasantness involved:long years of study.
    8. reaching well into the past:a long memory.
    9. the longer of two or the longest of several:the long way home; a brick with the long side exposed.
    10. taking a long time;
      slow:He's certainly long getting here.
    11. forward-looking or considering all aspects;
      broad:to take a long view of life.
    12. intense, thorough, or critical;
      seriously appraising:a long look at one's past mistakes.
    13. having an ample supply or endowment of something (often fol. by on):to be long on advice; to be long on brains.
    14. having a considerable time to run, as a promissory note.
    15. Law[Chiefly Law.]distant or remote in time:a long date.
    16. extending relatively far:a man with a long reach.
    17. being higher or taller than usual:long casement windows.
    18. being against great odds;
      unlikely:a long chance.
    19. (of beverages) mixed or diluted with a large amount of soda, seltzer, etc.:highballs, collinses, and other long drinks.
    20. Physical Anthropology(of the head or skull) of more than ordinary length from front to back.
    21. [Phonet.]
      • lasting a relatively long time:"Feed'' has a longer sound than "feet'' or "fit.''
      • belonging to a class of sounds considered as usually longer in duration than another class, as the vowel of bought as compared to that of but, and in many languages serving as a distinctive feature of phonemes, as the ah in German Bahn in contrast with the a in Bann, or the tt in Italian fatto in contrast with the t in fato (opposed to short).
      • having the sound of the English vowels in mate, meet, mite, mote, moot, and mute, historically descended from vowels that were long in duration.
    22. Poetry[Pros.](of a syllable in quantitative verse) lasting a longer time than a short syllable.
    23. Stock Exchange, Business[Finance.]holding or accumulating stocks, futures, commodities, etc., with the expectation of a rise in prices:a long position in chemicals.
    24. Games
      • marked by a large difference in the numbers of the given betting ratio or in the amounts wagered:long odds.
      • of or pertaining to the larger amount bet.
    25. Ceramics(of clay) very plastic;
      fat.

    n. 
    1. a comparatively long time:They haven't been gone for long. Will it take long?
    2. Poetrysomething that is long:The signal was two longs and a short.
    3. Clothinga size of garment for men who are taller than average.
    4. a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in this size:The shorts and the longs are hung separately.
    5. Business[Finance.]a person who accumulates or holds stocks or commodities with the expectation of a rise in prices.
    6. Music and Dancelonga.
    7. Idioms before long, soon:We should have news of her whereabouts before long.
    8. Idioms the long and the short of, the point or gist of;
      substance of:The long and the short of it is that they will be forced to sell all their holdings.Also, the long and short of. 

    adv. 
    1. for or through a great extent of space or, esp., time:a reform long advocated.
    2. for or throughout a specified extent, esp. of time:How long did he stay?
    3. (used elliptically in referring to the length of an absence, delay, etc.):Will she be long?
    4. throughout a specified period of time (usually used to emphasize a preceding noun):It's been muggy all summer long.
    5. at a point of time far distant from the time indicated:long before.
    6. Idioms as long as:
      • provided that:As long as you can come by six, I'll be here.
      • seeing that;
        since:As long as you're going to the grocery anyway, buy me a pint of ice cream.
      • Also, so long as. during the time that;
        through the period that:As long as we were neighbors, they never invited us inside their house.
    • bef. 900; (adjective, adjectival) Middle English longe, Old English lang, long; cognate with Dutch, German lang, Old Norse langr, Gothic langs, Latin longus; (noun, nominal) late Middle English, derivative of the adjective, adjectival; (adverb, adverbial) Middle English long(e), lange, Old English longe, lange, cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German lango
    long′ly, adv. 
    long′ness, n. 
      1. lengthy, extensive. 2. protracted, prolonged, extended. 6. overlong, wordy, prolix; tedious, boring.
long2  (lông, long),USA pronunciation v.i. 
  1. to have an earnest or strong desire or craving;
    yearn:to long for spring; to long to return home.
  • bef. 900; Middle English longen, Old English langian grow longer, yearn after, summon; see long1
    See yearn. 
long3  (lông, long),USA pronunciation v.i. 
  1. [Archaic.]to be suitable or fitting.
  2. [Obs.]to be the possession;
    belong.
  • 1150–1200; Middle English longen to be suitable or proper, belong, derivative of long on account (of ), attributable (to), dependent (on), Old English gelang belonging (to), dependent (on); see along

Long  (lông, long),USA pronunciation n. 
    Crawford Wil•liam•son  (wil′yəm sən),USA pronunciation 1815–78, U.S. surgeon. Hu•ey Pierce  (hyo̅o̅′ē),USA pronunciation 1893–1935. U.S. politician: governor of Louisiana 1928–31; U.S. senator 1931–35. Russell B(il•liu)  (bil′yo̅o̅),USA pronunciation born 1918, U.S. lawyer and politician: U.S. senator 1948–87 (son of Huey Pierce Long).
  1. Biographical Stephen Harriman, 1784–1864, U.S. army officer and explorer.

long., 
  1. Geographylongitude.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
long /lɒŋ/ adj
  1. having relatively great extent in space on a horizontal plane
  2. having relatively great duration in time
    • (postpositive) of a specified number of units in extent or duration: three hours long
    • (in combination): a two-foot-long line
  4. having or consisting of a relatively large number of items or parts: a long list
  5. having greater than the average or expected range: a long memory
  6. being the longer or longest of alternatives: the long way to the bank
  7. having more than the average or usual quantity, extent, or duration: a long match
  8. seeming to occupy a greater time than is really so: she spent a long afternoon waiting in the departure lounge
  9. intense or thorough (esp in the phrase a long look)
  10. (of drinks) containing a large quantity of nonalcoholic beverage
  11. (of a garment) reaching to the wearer's ankles
  12. (followed by on) informal plentifully supplied or endowed (with): long on good ideas
  13. (of a speech sound, esp a vowel)
    • of relatively considerable duration
    • (in popular usage) denoting the qualities of the five English vowels in such words as mate, mete, mite, moat, moot, and mute
  14. from end to end; lengthwise
  15. unlikely to win, happen, succeed, etc: a long chance
    • denoting a vowel of relatively great duration or (esp in classical verse) followed by more than one consonant
    • denoting a syllable containing such a vowel
    • (in verse that is not quantitative) carrying the emphasis or ictus
  17. having or characterized by large holdings of securities or commodities in anticipation of rising prices: a long position
  18. (of a fielding position) near the boundary: long leg
  19. informal (of people) tall and slender
  20. in the long run ⇒ See run
  21. long in the tooth ⇒ informal old or ageing
 adv
  1. for a certain time or period: how long will it last?
  2. for or during an extensive period of time: long into the next year
  3. at a distant time; quite a bit of time: long before I met you, long ago
  4. into a position with more security or commodity holdings than are required by sale contracts and therefore dependent on rising prices for profit: to go long
  5. as long as, so long as ⇒
    • for or during just the length of time that
    • inasmuch as; since
    • provided that; if
  6. no longer ⇒ not any more; formerly but not now
 n
  1. a long time (esp in the phrase for long)
  2. a relatively long thing, such as a signal in Morse code
  3. a clothing size for tall people, esp in trousers
  4. a long vowel or syllable
  5. a person with large holdings of a security or commodity in expectation of a rise in its price; bull
  6. a note common in medieval music but now obsolete, having the time value of two breves
  7. before long ⇒ soon
  8. the long and the short of it ⇒ the essential points or facts
Etymology: Old English lang; related to Old High German lang, Old Norse langr, Latin longus
long /lɒŋ/ vb
  1. (intransitive; followed by for or an infinitive) to have a strong desire
Etymology: Old English langian; related to long1
long /lɒŋ/ vb
  1. (intransitive) archaic to belong, appertain, or be appropriate
Etymology: Old English langian to belong, from gelang at hand, belonging to; compare along
long abbreviation for
  1. longitude
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Long /lɒŋ/ n
  1. Crawford Williamson. 1815–78, US surgeon. He was the first to use ether as an anaesthetic
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
long- adv
  1. (in combination) for or lasting a long time: long-awaited, long-established, long-lasting
'a long time' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ageratum - Anglo-Indian - chronic - donkey's years - eventually - hold forth - ice sheet - length - long - long-standing - long-term - long- - old-timer - retainer - secular - slow virus - sort out - stick - stock - time-honoured - year - acquiescence - bear - cause - coon's age - cow - crony - deliberate - dog's age - for - grass widow - grass widower - have - homesick - if - its - keep - lasting - like - lockup - long-lived - longstanding - once - orthostatic hypotension - perennate - present - pro memoria - this - time - torsion pendulum

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