long distance
46
3.2
- noun
- /lɔŋ ˈdɪstəns/
:
llamada de larga distancia
- A long distance call for you from Dayton, Ohio.
- a long-distance call
- make a long-distance call
- long-distance service
Examples
-
Who else would spend all his money on a long distance call to you?
-
"I didn't think any of your boyfriends would be calling long-distance from Boston," I said.
Fiction book (1992) -
I have to make a long distance call.
-
So she said, "I recently got a long distance call from a Mr. Travis."
Fiction book (1993) -
My boss gets real annoyed if we call long distance.
-
I'll even accept long-distance charges, and I will return your call as soon as possible.
Fiction book (2001) -
"Mom, okay if I make a long distance call?" Gretchen asked, seizing the moment.
Fiction book (1995) -
I have to make a long distance call to my friend in New York.
-
Last night, I spoke with my parents during a long distance call.
-
You will be charged extra for a long distance call to another state.
Synonyms
11
2.3
A phone conversation with someone in another area that costs extra
1
4.9
A phone call to another city that costs more than a local call
1
9.8
A phone call to a place outside your local area that usually costs more
Antonyms
5
1.0
A phone call made inside the same town or area, usually cheaper than a long-distance call
How Far
46
3.2
5
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The core meaning — something relating to a great spatial separation (e.g., a call to a faraway place) — is directly and compositionally derived from 'long' (extending) + 'distance' (space between locations). This compositional logic is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the basic sense (a call over a large distance), even if they might not know the telecom-specific detail about extra charges.
Etymology
The noun long distance comes from old telephone days. It named a call that had to travel a very long distance to reach someone far away. Because the call went so far, people paid an 'extra fee', and today the term means a call to a far place.