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a·long (ə-lông, ə-lŏng)
Share:
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 company: 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: My father is getting along in years.
[Middle English, from Old English andlang, extending opposite : and-, facing; see ant- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + lang, long; see LONG1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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