Meaning & use
long and black
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Having both a great length and a black color.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb or before a noun: Her hair is long and black. / a long and black dress.
Patterns
- be long and black
- a long and black something
She has long and black hair that reaches her waist.
The cat's tail is long and black, with a white tip.
He wore a long and black coat to the party.
phrasefixed phrasehumorous
Used as the opening of a riddle or joke asking someone to guess an object.
Grammar: Often in the question 'What's long and black and ...?' followed by a clue.
Patterns
- What's long and black and ...?
What's long and black and lives in a pencil case? A ruler.
The children laughed at the riddle: What's long and black and goes up and down? A road.
Common combinations
- long and black hair
- Her long and black hair shone in the sun.
- long and black dress
- She chose a long and black dress for the ceremony.
- long and black snake
- A long and black snake slid across the path.
Synonyms and how they differ
- black and long
- The same meaning, but the usual order is 'long and black' when describing appearance.
Opposites
Commonly confused: long and black or long black?
long and black vs long black
In some coffee shops, a 'long black' is a drink (espresso with hot water). Without 'and', it is not a general description.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'long and black' naturally?
Choose one answer.
The phrase works after the linking verb 'is' to describe the cat. Option 0 is possible but less natural because 'long and black' before a noun is usually written without 'and' (a long black cat). Options 2 and 3 are ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “long and black”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.