old
1 ENTRIES FOUND:
older;
oldest
older;
oldest
Britannica Dictionary definition of OLD
1
a
:
having lived for many years
:
not young
-
He's an old man now.
-
a little old lady
-
She was helping an old [=(more politely) elderly] woman cross the street.
b
— used to talk about or ask about a person's age
-
He looks old for his age. [=he looks older than he really is]
-
She's older than she looks. [=she has a young appearance]
-
He's dating an older woman. [=a woman who is older than he is]
-
I wasn't old enough [=I was too young] to vote in the last election.
-
“How old is your daughter?” “She's almost six.”
-
Their oldest [=eldest] child is 18 years old.
-
My sister's three years older than me.
-
She lived to the ripe old age of 85.
-
He joked that he was as old as the hills. [=very old]
c
:
having a specified age
-
He's 30 years old.
-
a nine-month-old baby
2
a
:
having existed or been in use for a long time
:
not new
-
We rented an old black-and-white movie.
-
old newspapers/magazines
-
a beautiful old house
-
There's an old saying that good fences make good neighbors.
-
an old family tradition
-
a new approach to an old problem
-
She wore a T-shirt and an old pair of jeans.
-
I wish you would stop wearing that dirty old hat!
-
The hotel was old and dingy.
-
the oldest known civilization in the region
b
:
having existed for a specified amount of time
-
The house we live in is 50 years old.
-
a 400-year-old castle
3
always used before a noun
a
:
belonging to, used by, or known by someone in the past
-
We went back to visit our old neighborhood.
-
I met one of my old [=former] professors at the library.
-
one of his old cars
-
I made a lot less money at my old job.
-
That's their old number. The new number is 555-4397.
-
She is now just a shadow of her old self. [=she is not the person she was in the past]
b
— used to say that someone or something has been your friend, enemy, etc., for a long time
-
I had lunch with an old friend of mine. [=a friend I have known for a very long time]
-
They're old enemies.
-
Spaghetti is an old favorite in our home.
4
always used before a noun
:
done or experienced many times
-
Do we have to go through that old routine again?
-
Grandpa tells the same old stories over and over again.
-
When she brought up the same old argument, I just stopped listening.
5
informal
— used for emphasis after adjectives like big, good, etc.
-
We had a big old party in her honor.
-
You poor old thing. You must be exhausted!
-
Good old Joe. He's always helping people in need.
any old
informal
— used to describe someone or something that is not special or specific
-
I don't care where I sleep. Any old couch will do.
-
She won't drink any old tea; it has to be her favorite kind.
-
You'll have to park any old way [=any way] you can.
-
Give me beer over champagne any old day (of the week).
chip off the old block
for old times' sake
old boy/chap/man/etc.
British, old-fashioned
—
see also good old boy
old
is the most common and general of these words and can refer to either the recent past or to the distant past.
-
This is one of my old sweaters.
-
The neighborhood has many old houses that were built more than 200 years ago.
ancient
refers to things that happened or existed in the very distant past and that may or may not exist today.
-
an ancient custom
-
the ancient pyramids of Egypt
antique
refers to things, such as toys, machines, and pieces of furniture, that have been kept from the past and that are often valuable.
-
She collects antique furniture.
archaic
refers to things, such as words or ways of behaving, that belong to a much earlier time and that are no longer used.
-
The play used archaic language to convey a sense of the past.
-
an archaic tradition
2
old
/ˈoʊld/
noun
plural
olds
2
old
/ˈoʊld/
noun
plural
olds
Britannica Dictionary definition of OLD
1
[count]
:
a person who has a specified age
— used in combination
-
The game is suitable for six-year-olds. [=for children who are six years old]
-
Their 11-month-old has just learned how to walk.
-
30-year-olds
2
old
[plural]
:
old people
— often used with the
-
Young and old alike will enjoy the movie.
-
The old [=(more commonly) the elderly] and the sick were helped first.
of old
formal + literary
:
in the past
:
in a time that was long ago
-
in (the) days of old
-
(Brit) She's a friend who knows me of old. [=has known me for a long time]
