not long for this world Definition

long¹
adj longer, longest

1a. Measuring a great distance in space from one end to the other;
1b. Said of time: lasting for an extensive period.

Thesaurus: extended, protracted, extensive, sustained, interminable, dragging, prolonged; Antonym: short, fleeting.
2a. Measuring a specified amount;

Example: six centimetres long
2b. Lasting a specified time.

Example: a three-hour-long movie
3. Having a large number of items.

Example: a long list
4a. Measuring more than is usual, expected or wanted;

Example: She has really long hair
4b. Lasting a greater time than is usual, expected or wanted.

Example: The breakdown made it a really long journey
5. Said of someone's memory: able to recall things that happened a considerable time ago.
6. Having greater length than breadth.
7a. Said of a dress or skirt: reaching down to the feet;
7b. Said of trousers: covering the whole of the legs.

Example: Older boys were allowed to wear long trousers
8. Said of a cold drink: large and thirst-quenching.
9. Said of stocks: bought in large amounts in expectation of a rise in prices.
10a. phonetics.
Said of a vowel: having the greater of two recognized lengths;
10b. Said of a syllable in verse: stressed;
10c. popularly
Said of a vowel or syllable: taking a long time to pronounce in comparison with another, eg mate as compared to mat.
11. cricket.
Said of fielders: covering the area near the boundary.

adverb

1. For, during or by a long period of time.

Example: They had long expected such news
2. Throughout the whole time.

Example: all night long

noun

1. A comparatively long time.

Example: won't be there for long
2. A syllable that takes a comparatively long time to pronounce.
3a. A signal in Morse code that corresponds with the dash¹ (noun 5);
3b. A long blast from a ship's siren, etc that forms part of a signal.

Example: Three shorts and one long means head for the lifeboats

Idiom: as long as (so long as)

Provided that.
Thesaurus: assuming, assuming that, provided, provided that, supposing, supposing that, on condition that, with the provision that.

While; during the time that.

Idiom: before long

In the near future; soon.

Idiom: long ago

In the very distant past.

Idiom: the long and the short of it

The most important facts in a few words.

Idiom: long on something

colloq
Having a lot of it.
Example: not too long on brains

Idiom: no longer

Not now as it was in the past.

Idiom: not long for this world

euphemistic
About to die.

Idiom: so long

colloq
Goodbye.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon lang.