Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adverb Long ago; long since.
- noun Time long past; times past.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Time long past; the days of long ago. See
syne .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adverb Scot. Long since; long ago.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adverb
Yesteryear , in theold days , some time ago.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adverb at a distant time in the past (chiefly Scottish)
- noun past times remembered with nostalgia
- adverb of the distant or comparatively distant past
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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“It was not Christie,” said Mary; “it was — it was a gentleman — a gentleman with a bright breastplate, like what I hae seen langsyne, when we dwelt at Avenel —”
The Monastery 2008
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First, for auld langsyne; second, for the sake of the auld wife ayont the fire at
Rob Roy 2005
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ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the days of auld langsyne, drivers in the Sunshine State, including the elderly, could renew their licenses by mail without taking a vision or road test.
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IN Norroway, langsyne, there lived a certain lady, and she had three dochters.
The Blue Fairy Book 2003
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Laidlaw, however, scratching it minutely out, found it covered with a layer of pitch inside, and then said, "Ay, the truth is, sir, it is neither mair nor less than a piece of a tar pat that some o 'the farmers hae been buisting their sheep out o', i 'the auld kirk langsyne."
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 14, No. 383, August 1, 1829 Various
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Animated by its cheering influence, even old decrepitude no longer feels his habitual pains -- the fire of youth is in his eye, as he details to the company the exploits which distinguished him in the days of '_auld langsyne_;' while the young, with hearts inflamed with '_love and glory_,' long to mingle in the more lively scenes of mirth, to display their prowess and agility.
Christmas: Its Origin and Associations Together with Its Historical Events and Festive Celebrations During Nineteen Centuries William Francis Dawson
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Or the thraldom of the people in "the days of auld langsyne?"
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 53, No. 327, January, 1843 Various
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How blest were the days o 'langsyne, when a laddie, vol. iii.,
The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume VI The Songs of Scotland of the Past Half Century Various
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Manly Morrisons of auld langsyne, that never took short weapon against
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 280, October 27, 1827 Various
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Three years ago you gave a pleasing illustration of "_the Amusements of May_," and at the same time lamented the decrease of village festivity and rural merriment, which in days langsyne cheered the honest hearts and lightened the daily toil of our rustic ancestors.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 14, No. 379, July 4, 1829 Various
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