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along - 7 dictionary results

a⋅long

  [uh-lawng, uh-long]
Use along in a Sentence
–preposition
1. through, on, beside, over, or parallel to the length or direction of; from one end to the other of: to walk along a highway; to run a border along a shelf.
2. during; in the course of: Somewhere along the way I lost my hat.
3. in conformity or accordance with: I plan to revise the article along the lines suggested.
–adverb
4. by the length; lengthwise; parallel to or in a line with the length or direction: He ran along beside me.
5. with a progressive motion; onward: The police ordered the line to move along.
6. (of time) some way on: along toward evening.
7. in company; in agreement (usually fol. by with): I'll go along with you. He planned the project along with his associates.
8. as a companion; with one: She took her brother along.
9. from one person or place to another: The order was passed along from the general to the captain and from the captain to a private.
10. at or to an advanced place or state: Work on the new ship is quite far along.
11. as an accompanying item; on hand: Bring along your umbrella.
12. along of, Chiefly Southern U.S. and British Dialect.
a. owing to; because of: We weren't invited, along of your rudeness.
b. in company with: You come along of me to the store.
—Verb phrase
13. get along. get (def. 36).
—Idioms
14. all along, all the time; throughout: I knew all along that it was a lie.
15. be along, Informal. to arrive at a place; come: They should be along soon.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE andlang, equiv. to and- (c. OS, ON and-, Goth and(a)-, OHG ant-, prefix with orig. sense “facing”; cf. answer ) + lang long 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To along
a·long   (ə-lông', ə-lŏng')   
prep.  
  1. Over the length of: walked along the path.
  2. On a line or course parallel and close to; continuously beside: rowed along the shore; the trees along the avenue.
  3. In accordance with: The committee split along party lines over the issue.
adv.  
  1. Forward; onward: We drove along, admiring the view. Farther along, we passed a hitchhiker.
  2. As a companion: Bring your friend along.
  3. In accompaniment or association; together: packed an atlas along with other books. See Usage Note at together.
  4. With one; at hand: Luckily, I had my camera along. Our guests should be along soon.
  5. Informal Advanced to some degree: getting along in years.

[Middle English, from Old English andlang, extending opposite : and-, facing; see ant- in Indo-European roots + lang, long; see long1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Along

A*long"\ (?; 115), adv. [OE. along, anlong, AS. andlang, along; pref. and- (akin to OFris. ond-, OHG. ant-, Ger. ent-, Goth. and-, anda-, L. ante, Gr. ?, Skr. anti, over against) + lang long. See Long.]

1. By the length; in a line with the length; lengthwise.

Some laid along . . . on spokes of wheels are hung. --Dryden.

2. In a line, or with a progressive motion; onward; forward.

We will go along by the king's highway. --Numb. xxi. 22.

He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south along. --Coleridge.

3. In company; together.

He to England shall along with you. --Shak.

All along, all through the course of; during the whole time; throughout. "I have all along declared this to be a neutral paper." --Addison.

To get along, to get on; to make progress, as in business. "She 'll get along in heaven better than you or I." --Mrs. Stowe.

Along

A*long"\, prep. By the length of, as distinguished from across. "Along the lowly lands." --Dryden.

The kine . . . went along the highway. --1 Sam. vi. 12.

Along

A*long"\ [AS. gelang owing to.] (Now heard only in the prep. phrase along of.)

Along of, Along on, often shortened to Long of, prep. phr., owing to; on account of. [Obs. or Low. Eng.] "On me is not along thin evil fare." --Chaucer. "And all this is long of you." --Shak. "This increase of price is all along of the foreigners." --London Punch.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : along
Spanish: a lo largo de,
German: entlang,
Japanese: ～に沿って
More Translations »

along 
O.E. andlang "alongside of," from and- "opposite, against" (from P.Gmc. *andi-, *anda- from PIE *anti "against," locative singular of *ant- "front, forehead") + lang "long" (see long (adj.)). Sense extended to "through the whole length of." Alongside is from 1707.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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along

In addition to the idioms beginning with along, also see all along; all along the line; be along; come along; follow along; get along go along; play along; run along string along.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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