long¹ (lông, lŏng)
adj., long·er, long·est.

1. 1. Extending or traveling a relatively great distance.
   2. Having relatively great height; tall.
   3. 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.
5. 1. Extending beyond an average or standard: a long game.
   2. 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.
11. 1. Linguistics. Having a comparatively great duration. Used of a vowel or consonant.
    2. Grammar. Of, relating to, or being the English speech sounds (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) that are tense vowels or diphthongs.
12. 1. Stressed or accented. Used of a syllable in accentual prosody.
    2. Being of relatively great duration. Used of a syllable in quantitative prosody.

adv., 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.

n.

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.
4. 1. A garment size for a tall person.
   2. longs Trousers extending to the feet or ankles.

idioms:

any longer

1. For more time: can't wait any longer.

before long

1. Soon.

long ago

1. 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

1. Growing old.

no longer

1. Not now as formerly: He no longer smokes.

not long for

1. Unlikely to remain for much more time in: not long for this world.

the long and the short of it

1. The substance or gist: You can look on the front page of the paper for the long and the short of it.

[Middle English, from Old English lang.]

long² (lông, lŏng)
intr.v., longed, long·ing, longs.
To have an earnest, heartfelt desire, especially for something beyond reach.

[Middle English longen, from Old English langian.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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