along
♦♦♦ along /əl'ɒŋ, AM əl'ɔːŋ/
In addition to the uses shown below, along is used in phrasal verbs such as `go along with', `play along', and `string along'.
1 [PREP]
If you move or look along something such as a road, you move or look towards one end of it.
Newman walked along the street alone...
The young man led Mark Ryle along a corridor...
I looked along the length of the building.
2 [PREP]
If something is situated along a road, river, or corridor, it is situated in it or beside it.
...enormous traffic jams all along the roads.
...houses built on piles along the river...
3 [ADV] ADV after v
When someone or something moves along, they keep moving in a particular direction.
She skipped and danced along...
The wide road was blocked solid with traffic that moved along sluggishly.
4 [ADV] ADV after v
If you say that something is going along in a particular way, you mean that it is progressing in that way.
...the negotiations which have been dragging along interminably...
My life is going along nicely.
5 [ADV] ADV after v
If you take someone or something along when you go somewhere, you take them with you.
This is open to women of all ages, so bring along your friends and colleagues...
6 [ADV] ADV after v
If someone or something is coming along or is sent along, they are coming or being sent to a particular place.
She invited everyone she knew to come along...
7 [PREP-PHRASE]
You use along with to mention someone or something else that is also involved in an action or situation.
The baby's mother escaped from the fire along with two other children...
8 [PHRASE] PHR with cl, PHR after v
If something has been true or been present all along, it has been true or been present throughout a period of time.
I've been fooling myself all along...
9
along the way: see waycome along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
You tell someone to come along to encourage them in a friendly way to do something, especially to attend something.
There's a big press launch today and you're most welcome to come along.
= come on
2 [CONVENTION]
You say `come along' to someone to encourage them to hurry up, usually when you are rather annoyed with them.
Come along, Osmond. No sense in your standing around.
= come on
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P
When something or someone comes along, they occur or arrive by chance.
I waited a long time until a script came along that I thought was genuinely funny...
It was lucky you came along.
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P adv, V P
If something is coming along, it is developing or making progress.
Pentagon spokesman Williams says those talks are coming along quite well...
How's Ferguson coming along?get along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P with n, pl-n V P
If you get along with someone, you have a friendly relationship with them. You can also say that two people get along.
It's impossible to get along with him...
They seemed to be getting along fine.
= get on
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P prep
Get along means the same as get by.
You can't get along without water...
= manage, survivego along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P to n, V P and inf
If you go along to a meeting, event, or place, you attend or visit it.
I went along to the meeting...
You should go along and have a look.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont, V P adv
If you describe how something is going along, you describe how it is progressing.
Things were going along fairly well.hurry along
see hurry up 2move along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If someone, especially a police officer, tells you to move along, or if they move you along, they tell you to stop standing in a particular place and to go somewhere else.
Curious pedestrians were ordered to move along...
Our officers are moving them along and not allowing them to gather in large groups.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V n P
If a process moves along or if something moves it along, it progresses.
Research tends to move along at a slow but orderly pace...
Delay is part of the normal process, but I hope we can move things along.play along
[PHRASAL VERB] no passive, V P with n, V P
If you play along with a person, with what they say, or with their plans, you appear to agree with them and do what they want, even though you are not sure whether they are right.
My mother has learnt to play along with the bizarre conversations begun by father...
He led the way to the lift. Fox played along, following him.sing along
[PHRASAL VERB] V P with n, V P to n, V P
If you sing along with a piece of music, you sing it while you are listening to someone else perform it.
We listen to children's shows on the radio, and Janey can sing along with all the tunes...
You can sing along to your favourite Elvis hits.
...fifteen hundred people all singing along and dancing.
see also singalongstring along
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P
If you string someone along, you deceive them by letting them believe you have the same desires, beliefs, or hopes as them. (INFORMAL)
She took advantage of him, stringing him along even after they were divorced.tag along
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P with n
If someone goes somewhere and you tag along, you go with them, especially when they have not asked you to.
I let him tag along because he had not been too well recently...
She seems quite happy to tag along with them.
In addition to the uses shown below, along is used in phrasal verbs such as `go along with', `play along', and `string along'.
1 [PREP]
If you move or look along something such as a road, you move or look towards one end of it.
Newman walked along the street alone...
The young man led Mark Ryle along a corridor...
I looked along the length of the building.
2 [PREP]
If something is situated along a road, river, or corridor, it is situated in it or beside it.
...enormous traffic jams all along the roads.
...houses built on piles along the river...
3 [ADV] ADV after v
When someone or something moves along, they keep moving in a particular direction.
She skipped and danced along...
The wide road was blocked solid with traffic that moved along sluggishly.
4 [ADV] ADV after v
If you say that something is going along in a particular way, you mean that it is progressing in that way.
...the negotiations which have been dragging along interminably...
My life is going along nicely.
5 [ADV] ADV after v
If you take someone or something along when you go somewhere, you take them with you.
This is open to women of all ages, so bring along your friends and colleagues...
6 [ADV] ADV after v
If someone or something is coming along or is sent along, they are coming or being sent to a particular place.
She invited everyone she knew to come along...
7 [PREP-PHRASE]
You use along with to mention someone or something else that is also involved in an action or situation.
The baby's mother escaped from the fire along with two other children...
8 [PHRASE] PHR with cl, PHR after v
If something has been true or been present all along, it has been true or been present throughout a period of time.
I've been fooling myself all along...
9
along the way: see waycome along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
You tell someone to come along to encourage them in a friendly way to do something, especially to attend something.
There's a big press launch today and you're most welcome to come along.
= come on
2 [CONVENTION]
You say `come along' to someone to encourage them to hurry up, usually when you are rather annoyed with them.
Come along, Osmond. No sense in your standing around.
= come on
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P
When something or someone comes along, they occur or arrive by chance.
I waited a long time until a script came along that I thought was genuinely funny...
It was lucky you came along.
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P adv, V P
If something is coming along, it is developing or making progress.
Pentagon spokesman Williams says those talks are coming along quite well...
How's Ferguson coming along?get along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P with n, pl-n V P
If you get along with someone, you have a friendly relationship with them. You can also say that two people get along.
It's impossible to get along with him...
They seemed to be getting along fine.
= get on
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P prep
Get along means the same as get by.
You can't get along without water...
= manage, survivego along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P to n, V P and inf
If you go along to a meeting, event, or place, you attend or visit it.
I went along to the meeting...
You should go along and have a look.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont, V P adv
If you describe how something is going along, you describe how it is progressing.
Things were going along fairly well.hurry along
see hurry up 2move along
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If someone, especially a police officer, tells you to move along, or if they move you along, they tell you to stop standing in a particular place and to go somewhere else.
Curious pedestrians were ordered to move along...
Our officers are moving them along and not allowing them to gather in large groups.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V n P
If a process moves along or if something moves it along, it progresses.
Research tends to move along at a slow but orderly pace...
Delay is part of the normal process, but I hope we can move things along.play along
[PHRASAL VERB] no passive, V P with n, V P
If you play along with a person, with what they say, or with their plans, you appear to agree with them and do what they want, even though you are not sure whether they are right.
My mother has learnt to play along with the bizarre conversations begun by father...
He led the way to the lift. Fox played along, following him.sing along
[PHRASAL VERB] V P with n, V P to n, V P
If you sing along with a piece of music, you sing it while you are listening to someone else perform it.
We listen to children's shows on the radio, and Janey can sing along with all the tunes...
You can sing along to your favourite Elvis hits.
...fifteen hundred people all singing along and dancing.
see also singalongstring along
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P
If you string someone along, you deceive them by letting them believe you have the same desires, beliefs, or hopes as them. (INFORMAL)
She took advantage of him, stringing him along even after they were divorced.tag along
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P with n
If someone goes somewhere and you tag along, you go with them, especially when they have not asked you to.
I let him tag along because he had not been too well recently...
She seems quite happy to tag along with them.