Antonyms for before long

Grammar : Adv

Spell : lawng, long

Phonetic Transcription : lɔŋ, lɒŋ

Definition of before long

Origin : "that extends considerably from end to end," Old English lang "long," from Proto-Germanic *langgaz (cf. Old Frisian and Old Saxon lang, Old High German and German lang, Old Norse langr, Middle Dutch lanc, Dutch lang, Gothic laggs "long").
The Germanic words are perhaps from PIE *dlonghos- (cf. Latin longus, Old Persian darga-, Persian dirang, Sanskrit dirghah, Greek dolikhos "long," Greek endelekhes "perpetual," Latin indulgere "to indulge"), from root *del- "long."
The adverb is from Old English lange, longe, from the adjective. No longer "not as formerly" is from c.1300; to be not long for this world "soon to die" is from 1714.
The word illustrates the Old English tendency for short "a" to become short "o" before -n- (also retained in bond/band and West Midlands dialectal lond from land and hond from hand).
Long vowels (c.1000) originally were pronounced for an extended time. Sporting long ball is from 1744, originally in cricket. Long jump as a sporting event is attested from 1864. A ship's long-boat so called from 1510s. Long knives, name Native Americans gave to white settlers (originally in Virginia/Kentucky) is from 1774. Long in the tooth (1841 of persons) is from horses showing age by recession of gums. Long time no see, imitative of American Indian speech, is first recorded 1900. To be long on something, "have a lot" of it, is from 1900, American English slang.

As in presently : adv in a short while
As in shortly : adv right away
As in soon : adv in the near future
As in then : adv before; at another time
As in early : adv sooner than expected

Example sentences :

Before long the Athenians began to feel the difficulties of their position.
Extract from : « Stories from Thucydides » by H. L. Havell

Before long Hermes' right foot was found imbedded in the clay.
Extract from : « Buried Cities, Part 2 » by Jennie Hall

Before long he had forgotten all about this conversation, and all was as before.
Extract from : « Hetty's Strange History » by Anonymous

Before long they reached a sort of glen, at the bottom of which was a winding river.
Extract from : « The Field of Ice » by Jules Verne

I knew that before long she'd notice I was shirking the face.
Extract from : « The Greater Inclination » by Edith Wharton

Before long it was roaring, and diffusing a genial warmth on all sides.
Extract from : « The Field of Ice » by Jules Verne

It is possible that something I shall do before long may seriously offend you.
Extract from : « Jennie Baxter, Journalist » by Robert Barr

I have good reasons which I will explain to you before long.
Extract from : « The Inn at the Red Oak » by Latta Griswold

I expect that before long I shall have to take to typewriting.
Extract from : « One Day's Courtship » by Robert Barr

The youth imitated him, and before long his hunger had disappeared.
Extract from : « The Chinese Fairy Book » by Various

Synonyms for before long

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019