not long

English

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see not,‎ long.
"How long have you been in the service?" ―"Not long."
(UK) Fairly recently.
- 1976, L. P. Davies, Possession, The Crime Club, →ISBN, page 138:
  " […] You ought to try one of these biscuits. They're good."
  "I've not long had breakfast," Morgan told him.
- 2018 July 31, Theodore Rosengarten, All God's Dangers: The Life of Nate Shaw, Vintage, →ISBN, page 60:
  So I'd be going along to Elam Church sometimes and they had to go to a spring to get their water for the church; the spring was less'n a quarter of a mile from the church, good spring of water. And I'd be there, maybe not long got there, or I'd be there a pretty good while before I'd see her.