Such a device, he said, could take decades to develop.

It could take decades to develop the integrated armed forces necessary to challenge American dominance in the region.

Asbestos-related diseases often take several decades to develop in their victims.

A decade ago a 9-year-old girl I loved like a daughter developed rapidly progressive leukemia.

In addition, cancer usually takes decades to develop, but the increased incidence found in the study was temporary.

Most countries take decades to develop institutions and markets.

Their weapons, equipment and tactics take decades rather than years to develop.

A new technology usually takes several decades to develop the underlying science, build pilot projects and then begin commercial deployment.

It takes several decades to develop a European drugs policy.

Yet the way the decade would develop was, with hindsight, reasonably clear from the outset.