Long n Crawford Williamson. 1815--78, U.S. surgeon. He was the first to use ether as an anaesthetic
long [1]
adj
1 having relatively great extent in space on a horizontal plane
2 having relatively great duration in time
a postpositive of a specified number of units in extent or duration
three hours long
b (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 Informal foll by: on plentifully supplied or endowed (with)
long on good ideas
13 (Phonetics) (of a speech sound, esp. a vowel)
a of relatively considerable duration
b classified as long, as distinguished from the quality of other vowels
c (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
a denoting a vowel of relatively great duration or (esp. in classical verse) followed by more than one consonant
b denoting a syllable containing such a vowel
c (in verse that is not quantitative) carrying the emphasis or ictus
17 (Finance) having or characterized by large holdings of securities or commodities in anticipation of rising prices
a long position
18 (Cricket) (of a fielding position) near the boundary
long leg
19 Informal (of people) tall and slender
20 ♦
in the long run See →
run →
82
21 ♦
long in the tooth
Informal old or ageing
adv
22 for a certain time or period
how long will it last?
23 for or during an extensive period of time
long into the next year
24 at a distant time; quite a bit of time
long before I met you, long ago
25 (Finance) 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
a for or during just the length of time that
27 ♦
no longer not any more; formerly but not now
n
28 a long time (esp. in the phrase for long)
29 a relatively long thing, such as a signal in Morse code
30 a clothing size for tall people, esp. in trousers
31 (Phonetics) a long vowel or syllable
32 (Finance) a person with large holdings of a security or commodity in expectation of a rise in its price; bull
33 (Music) a note common in medieval music but now obsolete, having the time value of two breves
35 ♦
the long and the short of it the essential points or facts, (See also)
→
longs
(Old English lang; related to Old High German lang, Old Norse langr, Latin longus)
long [2]
vb intr; foll by: for or an infinitive to have a strong desire
(Old English langian; related to long1)
long [3]
vb intr
Archaic to belong, appertain, or be appropriate
(Old English langian to belong, from gelang at hand, belonging to; compare along)
long.
abbrev. for longitude
long-
adv in combination for or lasting a long time
long-awaited, long-established, long-lasting
long-acting
adj (of a drug) slowly effective after initial dosage, but maintaining its effects over a long period of time, being slowly absorbed and persisting in the tissues before being excreted
Compare →
intermediate-acting →
short-acting
long-and-short work
n (Architect) the alternation in masonry of vertical and horizontal blocks of stone
long arm
n
Informal
1 power, esp. far-reaching power
the long arm of the law
2 ♦
make a long arm to reach out for something, as from a sitting position
Long Beach
n a city in SW California, on San Pedro Bay: resort and naval base; oil-refining. Pop.: 421904 (1996 est.)
long-chain
adj (Chem) having a relatively long chain of atoms in the molecule
long-coats
pl n dress-like garments formerly worn by a baby, (Archaic name)
long clothes
long-dated
adj (of a gilt-edged security) having more than 15 years to run before redemption
Compare →
medium-dated →
short-dated
long-day
adj (of certain plants) able to mature and flower only if exposed to long periods of daylight (more than 12 hours), each followed by a shorter period of darkness
Compare →
short-day
long-distance
n
1 modifier covering relatively long distances
a long-distance driver
2 modifier (of telephone calls, lines, etc.) connecting points a relatively long way apart
3 (Chiefly U.S. and Canadian) a long-distance telephone call
4 a long-distance telephone system or its operator
adv
5 by a long-distance telephone line
he phoned long-distance
long-drawn-out
adj over-prolonged or extended
long-eared owl
n a slender European owl, Asio otus, with long ear tufts: most common in coniferous forests
Long Eaton
n a town in N central England, in SE Derbyshire. Pop.: 44826 (1991)
long face
n a disappointed, solemn, or miserable facial expression
♦
long-faced adj
long finger
n
♦
put (something) on the long finger (Irish) to postpone (something) for a long time
long haul
n
1 a journey over a long distance, esp. one involving the transport of goods
long-headed
adj astute; shrewd; sagacious
♦
long-headedly adv
♦
long-headedness n
long hop
n (Cricket) a short-pitched ball, which can easily be hit
long-horned beetle
n another name for longicorn beetle (see longicorn (sense 1))
long house
n
1 a long communal dwelling of the Iroquois and other North American Indian peoples. It often served as a council house as well
2 a long dwelling found in other parts of the world, such as Borneo
long hundredweight
n the full name for →
hundredweight →
1
Long Island
n an island in SE New York State, separated from the S shore of Connecticut by Long Island Sound (an arm of the Atlantic): contains the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in the west, many resorts (notably Coney Island), and two large airports (La Guardia and John F. Kennedy). Area: 4462 sq. km (1723 sq. miles)
long jenny
n (Billiards) an in-off up the cushion into a far pocket
Compare →
short jenny
(from Jenny, pet form of Janet)
long johns
pl n
Informal underpants with long legs
long jump
n an athletic contest in which competitors try to cover the farthest distance possible with a running jump from a fixed board or mark, (U.S. and Canadian equivalent)
broad jump
♦
long jumping n
long lease
n (in England and Wales) a lease, originally for a period of over 21 years, on a whole house of low rent and ratable value, which is the occupants' only or main residence. Under the Leasehold Reform Act (1969) the leaseholder is entitled to buy the freehold, claim an extension of 50 years, or become a statutory tenant
long leg
n (Cricket)
a a fielding position on the leg side near the boundary almost directly behind the batsman's wicket
b a fielder in this position
long-legged
adj
2 Informal (of a person or animal) able to run fast
long-lived
adj having long life, existence, or currency
♦
long-livedness n
Long March
n the. a journey of about 10000 km (6000 miles) undertaken (1934--35) by some 100000 Chinese Communists when they were forced out of their base in Kiangsi in SE China. They made their way to Shensi in NW China; only about 8000 survived the rigours of the journey
long mark
n another name for →
macron
long measure
n another name for →
linear measure
long metre
n a stanzaic form consisting of four octosyllabic lines, used esp. for hymns
long moss
n another name for →
Spanish moss
long-off
n (Cricket)
a a fielding position on the off side near the boundary almost directly behind the bowler
b a fielder in this position
long-on
n (Cricket)
a a fielding position on the leg side near the boundary almost directly behind the bowler
b a fielder in this position
Long Parliament
n (English history)
1 the Parliament summoned by Charles I that assembled on Nov. 3, 1640, was expelled by Cromwell in 1653, and was finally dissolved in 1660
See also →
Rump Parliament
2 the Cavalier Parliament of 1661--79
3 the Parliament called in Henry IV's reign that met from March 1 to Dec. 22, 1406
long pig
n
Obsolete human flesh eaten by cannibals
(translation of a Maori and Polynesian term)
long-playing
adj of or relating to an LP (long-player)
long primer
n (formerly) a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 10 point
long purse
n
Informal wealth; riches
long-range
adj
1 of or extending into the future
a long-range weather forecast
2 (of vehicles, aircraft, etc.) capable of covering great distances without refuelling
3 (of weapons) made to be fired at a distant target
long s
n a lower-case s, printed <$>, formerly used in handwriting and printing, (Also called)
long ess
long shot
n
1 a competitor, as in a race, considered to be unlikely to win
2 a bet against heavy odds
3 an undertaking, guess, or possibility with little chance of success
4 (Films, television) a shot where the camera is or appears to be distant from the object to be photographed
5 ♦
by a long shot by any means
he still hasn't finished by a long shot
long-sighted
adj
1 related to or suffering from hyperopia
2 able to see distant objects in focus
3 having foresight
♦
long-sightedly adv
♦
long-sightedness n
long-standing
adj existing or in effect for a long time
long-suffering
adj
1 enduring pain, unhappiness, etc., without complaint
n (also)
♦
long-sufferance
2 long and patient endurance
♦
long-sufferingly adv
long suit
n
a the longest suit in a hand of cards
b a holding of four or more cards of a suit
2 Informal an outstanding advantage, personal quality, or talent
long-tailed tit
n a small European songbird, Aegithalos caudatus, with a black, white, and pink plumage and a very long tail: family Paridae (tits)
long-term
adj
1 lasting, staying, or extending over a long time
long-term prospects
2 (Finance) maturing after a long period of time
a long-term bond
long-term memory
n (Psychol) that section of the memory storage system in which experiences are stored on a semipermanent basis
Compare →
short-term memory
long tin
n (Brit) a tall long loaf of bread
long tom
n
1 a long swivel cannon formerly used in naval warfare
3 an army slang name for →
cannon →
1
long ton
n the full name for →
ton 1 →
1
long vacation
n the long period of holiday in the summer during which universities, law courts, etc., are closed
long view
n the consideration of events or circumstances likely to occur in the future
long wave
n
a a radio wave with a wavelength greater than 1000 metres
b (as modifier)
a long-wave broadcast
long weekend
n a weekend holiday extended by a day or days on either side
long-winded
adj
2 capable of energetic activity without becoming short of breath
♦
long-windedly adv
♦
long-windedness n
long-wire aerial
n a travelling-wave aerial consisting of one or more conductors, the length of which usually exceeds several wavelengths
Qian Long , Ch'ien-lung
n original name Hong-li. 1711--99, Chinese emperor of the Qing dynasty. He expanded the Chinese empire and was a patron of the arts
so long
sentence substitute
Informal farewell; goodbye