Long time getting a letter (5)

I believe the answer is:

yearn

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'long' is the definition.
(I know that long can be written as yearn)

'time getting a letter' is the wordplay.
'time getting' becomes 'year' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'a letter' becomes 'n'.
'year'+'n'='YEARN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for yearn that I've seen before include "Have a craving" , "lust" , "Have a great longing" , "Pant - pine" , "Long (for something)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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