arselong
Appearance
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Alteration (after headlong) of arseling, from Middle English *arsling, from Old English earsling (“backwards, on the back”), equivalent to arse + -ling. Cognate with Dutch aarzeling, aarzelings, German ärschling, ärschlings.
Adverb
[edit]arselong (not comparable)
- (UK dialectal) Backwards; on one's arse.
- 1981, John Barth, Giles goat-boy:
- Heave they did, all unopposed, and tumbled arselong when the bar came about. Even as they rolled and cursed, the whistling petered; [...]