▪ I. lifelong, n. rare.
(ˈlaɪflɒŋ)
[Evolved from the advb. phrase ‘all my (his, etc.) life long’: see long adv.]
The duration of a life; a lifetime.
| a 1836 R. H. Froude Mem. (1849) 47 For the making of a single rich man, we make a thousand whose life-long is one flood-tide of misery. 1856 Lever Martins of Cro' M. 119 A spot wherein a student might have passed a lifelong. |
▪ II. lifelong, a.
(ˈlaɪflɒŋ)
[f. life n. + long.]
† 1. = livelong. Obs. rare—1.
| 1757 E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (1767) I. 84, I wished for you..in vain all night, the life-long night. |
2. Lasting or continuing for a lifetime.
| 1855 Ess. Intuitive Morals 151 The glorious thirst after Knowledge never finds its life-long draught sweet enough. 1866 J. H. Newman Gerontius §2 The history of that dreary, lifelong fray. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 267 Plato..in his life-long effort to work out the great intellectual puzzle of his age. |
3. as adv. During the whole length of life.
| 1875 Lowell Poem at Cambridge (Mass.) Centennial, The boy feels deeper meanings thrill his ear, That tingling through his pulse life-long shall run. |
▸ lifelong learning n. a form of or approach to education which promotes the continuation of learning throughout adult life, esp. by making educational material and instruction available through libraries, colleges, or information technology.
| 1930 Frederick (Maryland) Post 9 Apr. 5/1 Emmitsburg *Lifelong Learning Center. 1941 Jrnl. Higher Educ. 12 17 In every junior-college district are thousands of persons..who feel the urge for lifelong learning, and who would eagerly avail themselves of the opportunities of a community college. 1988 H. R. Moody Abundance of Life iii. 47 Older worker retraining, self-help and production for use, and new uses of telecommunications technology for lifelong learning are only a few of the areas where policy interventions could make a difference. 2004 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 22 Feb. iv. 11/1 For starters, we're going to have to get serious about some of the things we just gab about—job training, life-long learning, wage insurance. |