arch. and dial. Forms: 1 ʓelang, ʓelong, 2–4 ilong, 4 ylong, 4–5 alonge, 4– along, 6– all long, ’long. [OE. ʓelang, cogn. with OS., OHG. gilang. The prefix sank by 14th c. to ă-, which from 16th onwards was frequently dropped: see LONG.] In prep. phr. Along of (formerly 1–5 on, in OE. æt): Pertaining, belonging, chargeable, attributable, owing to; on account of. (Common in London, and southern dialects generally.)
c. 880. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. x. § 9. Ðæt wæs swiðor on ðam ʓelang.
a. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xlvii. 25. Æt þé is úre lýf ʓelang.
a. 1000. Guðlac, 223. On heofonum sind láre ʓelonge.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 195. Vor o ðe is al ilong mi lif.
c. 1300. Beket, 1644. The strif is on the Ilong.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 1001. On me is not along thin evil fare.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4292. Hit ys no þyng on hymen ylong þat y ne hadde y-lost Rolond.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of Armes, I. viii. 19. Whome it is alonge or causeth.
1530. Palsgr., 427/2. I am longe of this stryfe: je suis en cause de cest estrif.
c. 1570. Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 56. The villain sayth it is all long of me.
1602. Return fr. Parnass. (Arb.), Prol. 3. Its all long on you.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. v. 271. Oh, she was naught; and long of her it was That we meet heere so strangely.
1767. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1792), II. 88. ’Tis all along of you that I am thus haunted.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, V. xxix. Dark Musgrave, it was long of thee!
1848. Dickens, Dombey, 496. An’t my heart been heavy and watchful along of him and you?
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, xxii. 312. That was all along of Bell.
