lang syne

adv. & n. Sc.
—adv. in the distant past.
—n. the old days (cf. AULD LANG SYNE).
Etymology: = long since

* * *

adverb

of the distant or comparatively distant past

-

We met once long ago

-

they long ago forsook their nomadic life

-

left for work long ago

-

he has long since given up mountain climbing

-

This name has long since been forgotten

-

"lang syne" is Scottish

• Syn: ↑long ago, ↑long since

* * *

I. \(ˈ)laŋˈzīn, (ˈ)laiŋ-, -ˈsīn\ adverb (or adjective)

Etymology: Middle English (Scots) lang sine, from lang long + sine, syne since — more at long, syne

chiefly Scotland : at a distant time in the past

II. noun

chiefly Scotland : times past : old times

old men sat … and talked politics, racing, or lang syne — Ruth Park

* * *

lang syne /sīn/ adverb

Long since, long ago

noun

Time long past

• • •

Main Entry: ↑lang

* * *

lang syne, or lang|syne «_LANG SYN, -ZYN», adverb, noun. Scottish.

–adv.

long since; long ago: »

... this south-east corner of Scotland, full of memories of men on the march and battles fought lang syne (London Times).

–n.

a time long ago, especially in the phrase auld lang syne.

╂[< Scottish lang long + syne since]

* * *

[ˌlang 'zīn; 'sīn] 1.

Scottish archaic adv. in the distant past; long ago

we talked of races run lang syne

2.

n. times gone by; the old days, esp. in the phrase, "auld lang syne."

Origin:

early 16th cent.: from lang, Scots variant of I + syne