What is the origin of the idiom "go back a long way" and when to use it?

The origin and history of the idiom "go back a long way" are unclear, but it is likely that it developed from the idea of a physical distance that people have traveled together over time. The phrase has been in use since at least the early 19th century and was originally used to refer to journeys or expeditions that had taken a long time to complete. Over time, the phrase began to be used more figuratively to describe the length of time that people had known each other or had been associated with each other in some way.