Definition of 'old'
Word forms: comparative older
, superlative oldest
1. adjective
Someone who is old has lived for many years and is no longer young.
The old are people who are old. This use could cause offence.
2. adjective [oft as ADJ as]
4. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Something that is old is no longer in good condition because of its age or because it has been used a lot.
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use old to refer to something that is no longer used, that no longer exists, or that has
been replaced by something else.
6. adjective
You use old to refer to something that used to belong to you, or to a person or thing that used
to have a particular role in your life.
8. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You can use old to express affection when talking to or about someone you know.
[informal, feelings]
9.
See any old
10.
See in the old days
11.
12.
See of old
14. good old
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
old
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
Word Frequency
old in British English
adjective
1.
having lived or existed for a relatively long time
an old man
an old tradition
old wine
an old house
an old country
4.
worn with age or use
old clothes
an old car
5.
a. (postpositive)
having lived or existed for a specified period
a child who is six years old
b.
(in combination)
a six-year-old child
c.
(as noun in combination)
a six-year-old
6. (capital when part of a name or title)
earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name
the old edition
the Old Testament
old Norwich
7. (capital when part of a name)
designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written
Old English
10. (prenominal; often preceded by good)
good old George
11. informal (with any of several nouns)
used as a familiar form of address to a person
old thing
old bean
old stick
old fellow
12.
skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)
13.
out-of-date; unfashionable
16.
a. (prenominal)
established for a relatively long time
an old member
b.
(in combination)
old-established
18.
(of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum relief
See also youthful (sense 4), mature (sense 6)19.
(intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)
20.
(of crops) harvested late
21. See good old days
22. See little old
noun
▶ USAGE Many people prefer to talk about older people rather than old people, and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether24.
an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old)
in days of old
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
oldish (ˈoldish) adjective
oldness (ˈoldness)
noun
Word origin
Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high
Word Frequency
old in American English
adjectiveWord forms: ˈolder or ˈelder, ˈoldest or ˈeldest
1.
having lived or been in existence for a long time; aged
2.
of, like, or characteristic of aged people; specif., mature in judgment, wise, etc.
4.
made or produced some time ago; not new
7.
having been in use for a long time; worn out by age or use; shabby
8.
that was at one time; former
my old teacher
9.
having had long experience or practice
an old hand at this work
10.
belonging to the remote past; having existed long ago; ancient
an old civilization
11.
an old tradition
12.
designating the earlier or earliest of two or more
the Old World
13. Informal
dear
a term of affection or cordiality old boy
14. Informal
their incessant chatter has gotten old
noun
SYNONYMY NOTE: old implies a having been in existence or use for a relatively long time [old shoes, old civilizations]; ancient1 specifically implies reference to times long past [ancient history]; antique is applied to that which dates from ancient times, or, more commonly, from a former
period [antique furniture]; antiquate verb transitive is used to describe that which has become old-fashioned or outdated [antiquated notions of decorum]; archaic, in this connection, applies to that which is marked by the characteristics of an
earlier period [an archaic iron fence surrounded the house]; obsolete is applied to that which has fallen into disuse or is out-of-date [obsolete weapons]17.
a person of a specified age
used in hyphenated compounds a six-year-old
18.
something old
with the19.
old people
often with the OPPOSITES: new, modern
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
oldness (ˈoldness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OE (Anglian) ald, WS eald, akin to Ger alt < IE base *al-, to grow > L altus, old, alere, to nourish: basic sense “grown”
Word Frequency
old in American English
(ould) (adjective older, oldest or elder, eldest)
adjective
1.
far advanced in the years of one's or its life
an old man
an old horse
an old tree
2.
of or pertaining to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing
old age
3.
as if or appearing to be far advanced in years
Worry had made him old
4.
having lived or existed for a specified time
a man 30 years old
a century-old organization
5.
having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or
things
Jim is our oldest boy
6.
having been aged for a specified time
This whiskey is eight years old
7.
having been aged for a comparatively long time
old brandy
8.
long known or in use
the same old excuse
10.
belonging to the past
the good old days
11.
having been in existence since the distant past
a fine old family
12.
no longer in general use
This typewriter is an old model
13.
When the new house was built, we sold the old one
14.
of, pertaining to, or originating at an earlier period or date
old maps
16. (cap; of a language)
in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records
Old Czech
17.
experienced
He's an old hand at welding
18.
of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time
an old and trusted employee
21. Physical Geography (of landforms)
far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like
23.
(used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization)
good old Bob
that dirty old jalopy
25.
former; having been so formerly
a dinner for his old students
noun
SYNONYMS 1. old, aged, elderly all mean well along in years. An old person has lived long, nearly to the end of the usual period of life. An aged person is very far advanced in years, and is usually afflicted with the infirmities
of age. An elderly person is somewhat old, but usually has the mellowness, satisfactions, and joys of
age ahead.9. olden, early.ANTONYMS 1. young.26. (used with a pl. v.; usually prec. by the)
old persons collectively
appropriations to care for the old
27. (used in combination)
a person or animal of a specified age or age group
a class for six-year-olds
a horse race for three-year-olds
28.
old or former time, often time long past
days of old
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
oldness noun
Word origin
[bef. 900; ME; OE eald, ald; c. D old, G alt, Goth altheis; akin to ON ala to nourish]Examples of 'old' in a sentence
old
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Quotations
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
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old
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In other languages
old
British English: old
/əʊld/ ADJECTIVE
aged An old person is someone who has lived for a long time.
An old woman sat next to me.
- American English: old /ˈoʊld/
- Arabic: عَجُوزٌ
- Brazilian Portuguese: velho
- Chinese: 老的
- Croatian: star
- Czech: starý
- Danish: gammel
- Dutch: oud
- European Spanish: viejo
- Finnish: vanha
- French: vieux
- German: alt
- Greek: παλιός
- Italian: vecchio
- Japanese: 年取った
- Korean: 나이든
- Norwegian: gammel
- Polish: stary
- European Portuguese: velho
- Romanian: bătrân
- Russian: старый
- Latin American Spanish: viejo
- Swedish: gammal
- Thai: แก่
- Turkish: yaşlı
- Ukrainian: старий
- Vietnamese: già
British English: old
/əʊld/ ADJECTIVE
made a long time ago An old thing is something that somebody made a long time ago.
We have a very old car.
- American English: old /ˈoʊld/
- Arabic: قَدِيـم
- Brazilian Portuguese: velho
- Chinese: 老的
- Croatian: star
- Czech: starý
- Danish: gammel
- Dutch: oud
- European Spanish: viejo
- Finnish: vanha
- French: ancien
- German: alt
- Greek: παλιός
- Italian: vecchio
- Japanese: 古い
- Korean: 오래된
- Norwegian: gammel
- Polish: stary
- European Portuguese: antigo
- Romanian: vechi
- Russian: старый
- Latin American Spanish: antiguo
- Swedish: gammal
- Thai: เก่า
- Turkish: eski
- Ukrainian: старовинний
- Vietnamese: cũ
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