at length
prep_phraseUS [æʔ ˈlɛŋθ]
1
For a long time; extensively.
- He went on at great/long length about his supposed qualifications.
- She led us through the tunnels for some time, until at length we reached a small door in the rock.
- Through all these she persistently pursued the object of her mission. Her search lasted for long weary years—she followed it unweariedly, till at length she was rewarded.1861, E. J. Guerin, Mountain Charley, page 26:
4 more examples
- How long I slept I cannot tell, for I had nothing to guide me to the time, but woke at length, and found myself still in darkness.1898, J. Meade Falkner, chapter 4, in Moonfleet:
- ‘You got rather left there, old chap,’ said Monk at length.1903, P. G. Wodehouse, A Prefect's Uncle, A & C Black:
- Mr Cripps, who had meanwhile been submitting certain bottles to a close scrutiny against the light, at length uttered an exclamation of triumph and put a bottle on the table.1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 7:
- At length, the two schemes were amalgamated to form the Manchester & Birmingham, which was to pass through the Potteries and join the Grand Junction at Chebsey, a few miles north of Stafford.1957 September 23, M. D. Greville and G. O. Holt, “Railway Development in Manchester—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 617:
3
Archaic In full; without omission or abbreviation.
- The proceedings of Congress are not given, since they are inserted at length in the "Congressional Globe;" but the principal bills are noticed under the date of their passage.1800, Francis Vincent, United States Register, page 4: