Long Count

Question

Hello everyone,Could you please show me how to use "long count"? Could you please tell me if these usages are okay?Eg a. When Tyson knocked down Buster Douglas, the referee made long count. Eg b. When Tyson knocked out Buster douglas, the referee long counted.Eg c. When Tyson knocked down Douglas, the referee did a long count.Regards,JA

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Joseph A
Hello everyone,
Could you please show me how to use "long count"? Could you please tell me if these usages are okay?
Eg a. When Tyson knocked down Buster Douglas, the referee made long count.
Eg b. When Tyson knocked out Buster douglas, the referee long counted.
Eg c. When Tyson knocked down Douglas, the referee did a long count.
Regards,
JA

Only the last one sounds right to me. The first one isn't too bad. The middle one won't do at all. "long count" is never used as a verb.

I should mention, though, that in your sentences you make the referee the agent, as if he purposely counted slowly. I don't think this is the main idea behind the term "long count". It's not so much that someone did a long count but that "a long count occurred", not necessarily because the referee purposely counted slowly. There are very few instances long counts, and they are always surrounded by controversy.

You may want to see how "long count" is used in the following articles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Count_Fight
http://www.boxing.com/the_long_count_tyson_vs._douglas_1990.html
https://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/memorable-long-counts-in-boxing/

CJ

Clive · Answer

I've only heard this idiom used as follows. It's not very common.

Could you please show me how to use "long count"? Could you please tell me if these usages are okay?

Eg a. When Tyson knocked down Buster Douglas, the referee ~~made~~ did a long count.

Eg b. When Tyson knocked out Buster Douglas, the referee did a long count.

Eg c. When Tyson knocked down Douglas, the referee did a long count.

Clive

Long Count

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions