long legs
1
6.8
- noun
- Literature
:
largo recorrido
- A theatrical film can have longer legs and have a second life on a streaming service.
Examples
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I mean that and the argument for Netflix is that they give long legs to the Flash and the pans.
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You know, I think this program has has tremendously long legs in in a variety of ways.
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The movie proved to have long legs, remaining popular long after its initial release.
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The latest smartphone model is expected to have long legs in the market, maintaining high sales for months.
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Rumors about the celebrity's scandal had long legs, keeping the story in the headlines for weeks.
Synonyms
6
7.0
A thing that stays popular for a long time, like an idea or show
Antonyms
How Lasting
- Literature
15
5.5
- Literature
1
6.8
38
3.1
49
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'long' clearly signals duration or extent, while 'legs' here is a metaphorical extension meaning staying power or ability to continue; together they point toward lastingness. However, the specific idiomatic use (e.g. a story 'having long legs' = continuing to attract attention) is a metaphorical, culture-specific extension that a B1 learner who only knows the literal meanings would likely not fully predict, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Long legs may come from the picture of a story with long legs that can walk far and reach many people, so it keeps moving and being told. So when news or a rumor has long legs, it 'lasts' and 'keeps being talked about' for a long time.