Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Headlong

Head′longˊ

(-lŏngˊ; 115)
,
adv.
[OE.
hedling
,
hevedlynge
; prob. confused with E.
long
,
Adj.
&
adv.
]
1.
With the head foremost; headforemost; head first;
as, to fall
headlong
.
Acts i. 18.
2.
Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation.
3.
Hastily; without delay or respite.

Head′long

,
Adj.
1.
Rash; precipitate;
as,
headlong
folly
.
2.
Steep; precipitous.
[Poetic]
Like a tower upon a
headlong
rock.
Byron.

Webster 1828 Edition


Headlong

HEADLONG

,
adv.
hed'long. With the head foremost; as, to fall headlong.
1.
Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation.
--He hurries headlong to his fate.
2.
Hastily; without delay or respite.

HEADLONG

,
Adj.
hed'long. Steep; precipitous.
1.
Rash; precipitate; as headlong folly.

Definition 2024


headlong

headlong

English

Adverb

headlong (not comparable)

  1. With the head first or down.
  2. With an unrestrained forward motion.
    Figures out today show the economy plunging headlong into recession.
  3. Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation, in haste, hastily

Antonyms

Translations

Adjective

headlong (comparative more headlong, superlative most headlong)

  1. Precipitous.
  2. Plunging downwards head foremost.
  3. Rushing forward without restraint.
  4. (figuratively) Reckless, impetuous.
    • 1869, RD Blackmoore, Lorna Doone, II:
      “Time is up,” cried another boy, more headlong than head-monitor.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

headlong (third-person singular simple present headlongs, present participle headlonging, simple past and past participle headlonged)

  1. (transitive) To precipitate.
    • 1862, Thomas Adams, The works of Thomas Adams:
      If a stranger be setting his pace and face toward some deep pit, or steep rock — such a precipice as the cliffs of Dover — how do we cry aloud to have him return ? yet in mean time forget the course of our own sinful ignorance, that headlongs us to confusion.
    • 1905, Liberty Hyde Bailey, The outlook to nature:
      Carriages went up and down in endless pageant. Trolley-cars rushed by, clanging and grinding as they headlonged into the side streets.