Middle English Dictionary Entry
alō̆ng, alō̆nges(t adv. & prep.
Entry Info
| Forms | alō̆ng, alō̆nges(t adv. & prep. Also and(e)long, an-long, on-longe & alang, olang, olong, alenge. |
| Etymology | OE andlang, -long, onlong; cp. also OF au long. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. endelong.
1.
Of position or direction: (a) along the length of, at or to full length; alongside, along; lengthwise; (b) drauen ~, draw out, extend (sth.); spreden ~, spread out.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)138 : Muche lond he him ȝef..an long þare sea.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19677 : Þas swiken þer heo sæten on longen [Otho: in langes] þere streten.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2822 : Him to binden..Vpon an asse..Andelong, nouht ouerþwert.
- c1300 S.Leg.Faith(1) (LdMisc 108)60 : Huy streiȝhten hire a-long and a-croiz, and gret fuyr þare-onder tende.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7484 : Þai..made a renge Of hem alle þe launde alenge.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2743 : Þare olang [vr. on lang] þai layd it [the Cross] doune.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)80 : Alle þe beemes al along [*Dgb: all andlonge; F tout le long]..Al alonge [F au long des] þe bemes þer ben smale vales þat men clepyn goters.
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 224 : Costers..striped with plonket ribain on longe.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)28/21 : The contree [Egypt] is sett along vpon [F tot along de] the ryuere of Nyle.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)9689 : Thei leid him on a shelde on long.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)27 : Take Datys y-taylid a-long.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2985 : He gart þem lyg on lang apon the grownd.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.18 : Thay sette listes on lenthe, olong on the lawnde.
- (1459) *Plea & Mem.R.Lond.GildhA.83.m.3d : Which wall..along by þe said tenement of..Thomas Walsyngham [etc.].
- c1475 *Treat.Vet.(Trin-C R.14.51)60a/a : & attame that veyne alonge & not oueretwarte.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.9.54a : This [company] wer leid a long upon a tabill.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4983 : A long the Citee Darell rode by and by.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)424 : Which countrey of Fyfe along the Scottish sea..Is xliiii myles longe..A longest the water of Foorth.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)425 : All alongest the see.
b
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)382 : Þe Armes weren a-long i-sprad ase huy weren on þe rode, And þe fet i-streitht a-long.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)5.124 : To drawe þe lyste wel along, þe lengore hit semede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)93b/b : Hete drawiþ a þing a long [L protrahit materiam..in longum].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)270a/a : Wiþ some feet he [spider] makeþ þrede smal & draweþ it alonge [L in longum protrahit].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)38b : To Drawe on longe: ..protendere, distendere.
2.
Of movement & actions: (a) onward, on and on, along; gon, riden ~; drauen ~, spread out; lasten ~, persist; enformen ~, tell (sth.) at length or fully; (b) drauen ~, prolong, protract, or delay (sth.); ?utter (a speech) fluently or at length.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.9.*1.p.745 : Wherto, Lord, wentist thou awei along [WB(2): fer awei; L longe].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1308 : Thei comen ryde Along under the wodes syde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)333b/b : Schille voices beþ lowde & draweþ along [L longius protrahunt] and filleþ soone al þe place.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3406 : Ten mylen hij ȝeden alenge [LinI: alang].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)769 : He loked along þere as oure Lorde passed.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Josh.8.6 : To the tyme that thei..more along fro the cyte ben drawen aferre.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1329 : In that gardyn gan I goo, Pleyyng along full meryly.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)682 : The Fume in her presence..lasted alle alonge.
- (1461) Paston (Gairdner)3.299 : I enformyd hem the mater along.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.379 : That thei scholde go on longe [Trev.: in a longe rewe; L longum agmen] in the maner of oxen drawenge in a plowȝhe.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.4.3 : Drawe thou not a long [WB(2): tarie; L protrahas] ȝifte to the man put in streit.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 20.7 : He drow along [L protraxit] the word til into mydnyȝt.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)53/17 : Þouȝ þat þi cure be drawe along [L prolongetur].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Esd.9.30 : Thou drowist along [L protraxisti] many ȝeeris on hem.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)21a/b : Differre: drawe a longe.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)130 : Drawyn a-longe: Protraho.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.120 : Ȝif ȝe wene to drawe ȝoure lyf on-long [L longius..trahere].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)38b : To Drawe on longe or on lenght: Crastinare, prodifferre, prolongare, protelare, prorogare, protrahere.
- a1500Rev.St.Eliz.(1) (Cmb Hh.1.11)cap.5 (68/18) : It befeel as þys homely spech was drawe along [WdeW: drawen on long; L traheretur in longum] þat oon of Elizabethys felaws ȝede þerforth where sche was in preyowr, where Seynt Elizabeth blamyd here grethly.