Inflected forms: long·er, long·est 1a. Extending or traveling a relatively great distance. b. Having relatively great height; tall. c. Having the greater length of two or the greatest length of several: the long edge of the door.2. Of relatively great duration: a long time.3. Of a specified linear extent or duration: a mile long; an hour long.4. Made up of many members or items: a long shopping list.5a. Extending beyond an average or standard: a long game.b. Extending or landing beyond a given boundary, limit, or goal: Her first serve was long.6. Tediously protracted; lengthy: a long speech.7. Concerned with distant issues; far-reaching: took a long view of the geopolitical issues.8. Involving substantial chance; risky: long odds.9. Having an abundance or excess of: “politicians whose résumés are long on competence” (Margaret Garrard Warner). 10. Having a holding of a commodity or security in expectation of a rise in price: long on soybeans.11a.Linguistics Having a comparatively great duration. Used of a vowel or consonant. b.Grammar Of, relating to, or being a vowel sound in English, such as the vowel sound () in mate or () feet, that is descended from a vowel of long duration. 12a. Stressed or accented. Used of a syllable in accentual prosody. b. Being of relatively great duration. Used of a syllable in quantitative prosody.
ADVERB:
Inflected forms: longer, longest 1. During or for an extended period of time: The promotion was long due.2. At or to a considerable distance; far: She walked long past the end of the trail.3. Beyond a given boundary, limit, or goal: hit the return long. 4. For or throughout a specified period: They talked all night long.5. At a point of time distant from that referred to: That event took place long before we were born.6. Into or in a long position, as of a commodity market.
NOUN:
1. A long time: This won't take long.2.Linguistics A long syllable, vowel, or consonant. 3. One who acquires holdings in a security or commodity in expectation of a rise in price. 4a. A garment size for a tall person. b.longs Trousers extending to the feet or ankles.
IDIOMS:
any longer For more time: can't wait any longer.before long Soon. long ago1. At a time or during a period well before the present: I read that book long ago.2. A time well before the present: heroes of long ago.long in the tooth Growing old. no longer Not now as formerly: He no longer smokes.not long for Unlikely to remain for much more time in: not long for this world.the long and the short of it The substance or gist: You can look on the front page of the paper for the long and the short of it.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old English lang. See del-1 in Appendix I.
lông, l
ng
) in mate or (
) feet, that is descended from a vowel of long duration. 12a. Stressed or accented. Used of a syllable in accentual prosody. b. Being of relatively great duration. Used of a syllable in quantitative prosody. 
