long-drawn

The meeting was a long-drawn and tedious affair.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Extended in duration: "long-drawn" describes something that continues for a prolonged period of time, often suggesting slowness or tediousness.
   • Extended in length or space: It can also refer to something physically stretched out or elongated.

Usage Examples

• Extended in duration:

  • The meeting was a long-drawn affair that lasted over four hours. (The meeting was excessively lengthy and slow.)
  • Her long-drawn explanation confused the audience more than it clarified. (Her explanation was drawn out and tedious.)

• Extended in length or space:

  • The long-drawn shadows of the trees stretched across the field at sunset. (The shadows were elongated and prolonged.)
  • He gave a long-drawn sigh of relief after the exam. (The sigh was slow and extended, showing deep emotion.)

Advanced Usage

• "long-drawn-out": a common variant meaning excessively prolonged, often with a negative connotation.

  • The negotiations were a long-drawn-out process that exhausted all parties. (The discussions were unnecessarily lengthy and tiring.)

• "long-drawn agony": a poetic or literary phrase describing suffering that lasts a long time.

  • The long-drawn agony of the war affected generations. (The prolonged suffering caused by war.)

Variants and Related Words

• Long-drawn-out (adj): an alternative form emphasizing extension in time, often implying delay or tediousness.

  • The long-drawn-out legal battle drained their finances. (The prolonged court case was exhausting.)

• Drawn (adj): pulled or extended, often used in phrases like "drawn-out" to mean prolonged.

  • The drawn-out silence made everyone uncomfortable. (The extended silence was awkward.)

Synonyms

• Prolonged: continued for a long time.
  • The prolonged drought caused severe water shortages.
• Extended: made longer in time or space.
  • The extended vacation gave them time to relax.
• Lengthy: of considerable length, especially in time.
  • The lengthy speech put the audience to sleep.

Phrasal Verbs

• Draw out: to make something last longer than necessary.
  • The speaker drew out his conclusion unnecessarily. (He prolonged the ending.)
• Draw on: to approach or use slowly over time.
  • The evening drew on as they talked. (The evening passed slowly.)

Related Idioms

• Draw a long bow: to exaggerate or stretch the truth.
  • He drew a long bow when describing his achievements. (He exaggerated greatly.)
• In the long run: over a long period of time.
  • In the long run, patience pays off. (Over time, patience is beneficial.)