The machine listed 8 definitions for the word long:
- Measuring a great distance from end to end; having considerable length. (She wore a long dress to the party.)
- Lasting or taking a great amount of time; extended in duration. (It was a long meeting.)
- Having a specified length (used with measurements or numbers). (The table is two meters long.)
- Having a greater length than width; not square or round. (The room is long and narrow.)
- Having a long duration or distance to go before completion or arrival (used with 'way', 'time', etc.). (We have a long way to go.)
- To yearn or desire strongly for something. (She longed for her hometown.)
- (Finance) Holding an asset or security in expectation that its value will rise. (He is long on tech stocks.)
- (Phonetics) Having a greater duration than usual; used to describe vowel sounds. (The word 'mate' has a long 'a' sound.)
But which definitions are most common?
Claude:
Definition 1 - Physical length/distance: Rank ~150
"Measuring a great distance from end to end"
This is probably the most frequent meaning in everyday usage.
Definition 2 - Duration/time: Rank ~200
"Lasting or taking a great amount of time"
Very common, especially in phrases like "long time," "long meeting."
Definition 3 - Specified measurements: Rank ~1,200
"Having a specified length (used with measurements)"
Common in technical and descriptive contexts.
Definition 4 - Shape (length vs width): Rank ~2,000
"Having a greater length than width"
Less frequent, more specialized usage.
Definition 5 - Idiomatic usage: Rank ~2,500
"Having a long duration/distance to go"
Appears mainly in set phrases like "long way to go."
Definition 6 - To yearn/desire: Rank ~800
"To yearn or desire strongly for something"
The verb form is quite common, especially in literary and emotional contexts.
Definition 7 - Financial term: Rank ~8,000
"Holding an asset in expectation of value increase"
Technical financial jargon, much less common in general usage.
Definition 8 - Phonetics: Rank ~15,000
"Having greater duration (vowel sounds)"
Highly specialized linguistic terminology, rarely used outside academic contexts.
ChatGPT:
[1] Measuring a great distance from end to end (physical length)
Estimated rank: ~200
This is the most common sense of long, especially in child and general vocabulary. Very frequent in both spoken and written English.
[2] Lasting a great amount of time (temporal duration)
Estimated rank: ~300
Very common, especially in conversation and narrative; slightly less frequent than the physical length sense but still highly prominent.
[3] Having a specified length (with measurements)
Estimated rank: ~800
Appears frequently in technical or descriptive contexts, but less in casual use.
[4] Greater length than width (shape-based)
Estimated rank: ~1500
A bit more specialized; often used in specific contexts like geometry, art, and spatial description.
[5] Still distant in time or space ("a long way to go")
Estimated rank: ~600
Common in idiomatic phrases and narrative structure. High collocational frequency boosts its visibility.
[6] To yearn or desire strongly
Estimated rank: ~3000
Used mostly in literary or formal speech; recognizable but infrequent in daily conversation.
[7] Financial term: holding an asset
Estimated rank: ~6000
Domain-specific to finance and economics. Rare outside of professional contexts.
[8] Phonetics: greater vowel duration
Estimated rank: ~9000
Linguistic jargon. Almost exclusively used in academic or educational materials.
Gemini:
[1] Measuring a great distance from end to end; having considerable length.
Estimated Rank: Likely very close to the overall rank, perhaps in the 100-200 range. This is arguably the most primary and common meaning of "long" as an adjective. The confidence of 1.00 supports this.
Reasoning: This is a core concept and a fundamental descriptor.
[2] Lasting or taking a great amount of time; extended in duration.
Estimated Rank: Also very high, likely in the 150-300 range. This is another extremely common usage, nearly as frequent as the physical length sense. The confidence of 1.00 also supports this.
Reasoning: Describing time duration is a very frequent linguistic need.
[3] Having a specified length (used with measurements or numbers).
Estimated Rank: Probably in the 500-1000 range. While common, it's more specific than the general sense of "great length" as it requires a numerical qualifier.
Reasoning: It's a functional use but tied to specific contexts of measurement.
[4] Having a greater length than width; not square or round.
Estimated Rank: Likely in the 1500-3000 range. This describes a more specific characteristic of shape.
Reasoning: While not obscure, it's less universally applicable than the primary senses of length or duration.
[5] Having a long duration or distance to go before completion or arrival (used with 'way', 'time', etc.).
Estimated Rank: Likely in the 800-1500 range. This is common due to idiomatic phrases like "a long way to go" or "a long time."
Reasoning: Its frequency is boosted by common fixed expressions.
[6] To yearn or desire strongly for something.
Estimated Rank: Probably in the 1000-2500 range. This is a distinct verb sense. While a common human emotion and expression, the specific verb "to long for" is less frequent than the adjectival uses.
Reasoning: As a verb, its usage contexts are different and perhaps somewhat less frequent than the very versatile adjectival meanings.
[7] (Finance) Holding an asset or security in expectation that its value will rise.
Estimated Rank: Likely 5000+, perhaps even 10,000+. This is highly specialized jargon.
Reasoning: Its use is restricted to a specific domain (finance) and would be rare in general conversation or writing.
[8] (Phonetics) Having a greater duration than usual; used to describe vowel sounds.
Estimated Rank: Likely 8000+, perhaps even 15,000+. This is very technical linguistic jargon.
Reasoning: Its use is confined to the academic field of phonetics and is very infrequent in general language.