Etymology Dictionary

LONG (1),   extended, not short, tedious.  (E.)   M.E. long, Northern lang; Chaucer, C. T. 3021; Pricke of Conscience, l. 632.—A.S. lang, long; Grein, ii. 156. + Du. lang. + Icel. langr. + Dan. lang. + Swed. lång. + Goth. laggrs (= langrs). + G. lang. + Lat. longus.   β. Further allied to M.H.G. lingen, to go hastily, G. er-langen, to attain, reach; and to Skt. lañgh, to jump over, surpass.   'The orig. signification of lañgh was prob. to overtake by jumping, then, to attain;' Benfey, p. 786.   γ. The orig. notion seems to have had reference to the stride taken in jumping or fast running; and, as an active runner commonly moves lightly over the ground, we get Skt. laghu, Gk. ὲλαχύς, E. light, Lat. leuis, from the same root; with the singular result that the Gk. ὲλαχύς also means 'short.'   δ. An older Skt. spelling appears in the verb rañgh, to move swiftly; giving ✔RAGH, to run, hasten, as the common source, appearing without the nasal in Skt. and Gk., but nasalised to RANGH for other languages.  See Light (2), Levity.   Der. long, adv.; long-boat, long-measure, long-run, long-sight-ed, long-stop, long-suffering.   Also (from Lat. longus) long-evity, q.v., long-itude, q.v.   Also long, verb (see below); length, q.v.; ling (1), q.v.; ling-er, q.v., lunge, q.v.   Also lumber (1).

LONG (2),   to desire, yearn; to belong.  (E.)   Often used with for or after.   Very common in Shak.   Long = wish for, and long = belong (Hen. V, ii. 4. 80) are the same word.   M.E. longen, longien.   'Than longen folk to gon on pilgrimages' = then people desire, &c.; Chaucer, C. T. 12.    'That to the sacrifice longen shal' = that are to belong to the sacrifice; id. 2280.—A.S. langian, longian, to lengthen, also to long after, crave.   'Þonne se dæg langað' = when the day lengthens; Popular Treatises on Science, ed. Wright, p. 9.   'Hæleð langode' = the hero longed; Grein, ii. 157.   The orig. sense is to become long, hence to stretch the mind after, to crave; also to apply, belong.—A.S. lang, long, long; see Long (1).   Der. long-ing, sb.; long-ing, adj., long-ing-ly.