Now rare. [OE. langnys, f. lang LONG a. + -nys -NESS.] Length (in various senses); long continuance; † protractedness, delay.

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c. 1000.  Ælfric, Hom., II. 408. Bradnyss, langnyss, heahnyss and deopnyss.

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1340.  Ayenb., 105. Þet uerste word ous sseweþ þe langnesse of his eurebleuinge.

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1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xxi. (1495), 781. The Camelion is a beest lyke to the Cocadryll and is dyuers oonly in crokydnesse of the backe and in longnesse of the tayll.

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1486.  Bk. St. Albans, Her., C vij b. And it be dyuidid after the longnes or after the brodenes.

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1579.  Fenton, Guicciard. (1618), 250. The affaires betweene Cæsar and the French King proceeded with so great a longnesse.

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1587.  Golding, De Mornay, Pref. 9. I shall sometimes be long, and peradventure tedious to the Reader,… But … in this longnesse of mine, I straine my nature to apply myselfe to all men.

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1616.  Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 475. The longnesse of time will become tedious.

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1668.  Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., III. viii. 148. It is shineing, indifferently hard, round behind, with some longness.

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1684.  H. More, Answer, 254. The longness of the time.

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1841.  Latham, Eng. Lang., vi. 128. The Longness or Shortness of a Vowel or Syllable is said to be its Quantity.

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1890.  Temple Bar, July, 431. She had a curious, opium-like perception of time’s longness.

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