adjective
headlong
Having the uppermost part of the body foremost
Where it comes from
Headlong was Middle English headling: head plus an adverbial suffix -ling meaning in a particular direction or manner. Speakers later reshaped -ling as -long under the influence of words such as sidelong and along.
How the meaning developed
Falling with the head foremost naturally suggested uncontrolled speed and danger. The bodily direction became the figurative lack of deliberation in a headlong decision or rush.
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Sources
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-09-25. Report a correction.