long/short

Từ điển Oxford Learners Wordfinder Dictionary

- time
1 how long?
2 a short period of time
3 a long period of time
see also TIME

1 how long?
- to continue for a period of time: last (for) ※€¦, go* on (for) ※€¦
The play lasts for three hours. ◎ It went on all night.
- lasting a certain length of time: long
How long did the party go on for? ◎ I don't know how long they've been here. ◎ It's a very short sonata - only five minutes long.
- how long sth lasts: length (noun U), duration (noun U)
a play two hours in length ◎ a flight of one hour's duration
- how long sb does sth for: length of time
There is a limit on the length of time a driver can go without a break.
- to make sth last for a shorter time: cut* sth short, shorten sth
We've had to cut short our holiday. ◎ an illness which shortens the lives of millions of people
- to make sth last for a longer time: extend sth, prolong sth, lengthen sth
We're extending our stay by a few extra days. ◎ to prolong sb's life

2 a short period of time
- not lasting long: short, brief (adverb briefly)
a short conversation ◎ a short time ago ◎ a brief phone call ◎ I spoke to him briefly this morning.
- for a short or indefinite period of time: for a (short) while, for a (short) time, (informal) for a bit
Let's stop for a while. ◎ We lived in Italy for a short time. ◎ We'll stay for a bit and then we'll go.
- a very short period of time: moment, second, minute
Can you wait just a second, please? ◎ They'll be back in a couple of minutes.
- lasting for only a short time; not permanent: temporary (adverb temporarily)
a temporary job ◎ I'm afraid you can't speak to her at the moment; she's temporarily engaged.
- happening a short time ago: recent (adverb recently)
a recent decision ◎ She died quite recently.
- after a short time in the future: soon, shortly
See you soon! ◎ We're leaving shortly.
- over a short period of time in the future: in the short term; adjective: short-term
They're only short-term solutions.
※ happening soon SOON

3 a long period of time
- a period of time which is not short is long (adjective, adverb)
to last a very long time ◎ It was a very long performance. ◎ a long journey ◎ Have you lived here long?
- a fairly long period of time: quite a while, (quite) some time
We've been waiting quite a while. ◎ It will take quite some time to set up this project.
- a long period of time: hours, days, months, years, ages
It was so boring - he went on for hours and hours. ◎ He's been doing the same job for years. ◎ We've got ages yet - the train won't be here for another half an hour.
- (used about meetings, conversations, reports, etc) for a long time: at length; adjective: lengthy
She spoke at length about the problems in her country. ◎ a lengthy discussion
Note: long (on its own, without time) is used in questions and negative sentences, but not in affirmative sentences except in expressions with too and ago; a long time can be used without these restrictions:
Have you known her long? ◎ We hadn't been waiting long. ◎ It lasted too long. ◎ It lasted a long time.
- In negative sentences, long and for a long time can have different meanings:
I haven't been ill for a long time (= it is a long time since I was last ill).
I haven't been ill long (= my illness has not lasted a long time).
- lasting longer than necessary or wanted: long-drawn-out, protracted
The trial was a very long-drawn-out affair. ◎ after three years of protracted negotiations
- over a long period of time in the future: in the long term; adjective: long-term
In the long term, it's much better to put money into housing and education.
- that can or does last a long time: long-lasting
a long-lasting effect
- strong and able to last a long time: durable
a tough and durable surface
- (used about arrangements and relationships) that has lasted for a long period of time: long-standing
a long-standing friendship between two countries
- (used about food and other products) specially prepared to last a long time: long-life
long-life milk ◎ a long-life battery
- (used about plays, films, etc) having many performances over a long period of time: long-running
a long-running show
- (used about an illness or anything which is bad) lasting for a long time: chronic
chronic diarrhoea ◎ a chronic shortage of water
- for all time in the future: forever (BrE also for ever), for good, permanently
She's not going away forever. ◎ We're leaving England for good. ◎ We're going to move away from the city permanently.
- lasting for a long time or forever: permanent
a permanent job ◎ a permanent solution to a problem