- 1 be… years, months, etc. old of a particular age The baby was only a few hours old. In those days most people left school when they were only fifteen years old. At thirty years old, he was already earning £40 000 a year. two fourteen-year-old boys a class for five-year-olds (= children who are five) I didn't think she was old enough for the responsibility. How old is this building? He's the oldest player in the team. She's much older than me. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verbsbe, feel, look, … adverbenough phrasessix months, ten years, etc. old See full entry not young
- 2 having lived for a long time; no longer young to get/grow old The old man lay propped up on cushions. She was a woman grown old before her time (= who looked older than she was). Synonymsoldelderly aged long-lived matureThese words all describe somebody/something that has lived for a long time or that usually lives for a long time.old having lived for a long time; no longer young:She’s getting old—she’s 75 next year.elderly (rather formal) used as a polite word for ‘old’:She is very busy caring for two elderly relatives.aged (formal) very old:Having aged relatives to stay in your house can be quite stressful.long-lived having a long life; lasting for a long time:Everyone in my family is exceptionally long-lived.mature used as a polite or humorous way of saying that somebody is no longer young:clothes for the mature womanPatterns a(n) old/elderly/aged/long-lived/mature man/woman a(n) old/elderly/aged/mature gentleman/lady/couple opposite young Oxford Collocations Dictionary verbsbe, feel, look, … adverbextremely, fairly, very, … See full entry See related entries: Old age
- 3the old noun [plural] old people The old feel the cold more than the young. More Like This Plural adjectival nouns the blind, the deaf, the destitute, the dead, the dying, the elderly, the faithful, the homeless, the injured, the insane, the jobless, the middle aged, the old, the poor, the rich, the sick, the squeamish, the wealthy, the wicked, the wounded, the youngSee worksheet. Wordfinderoldcare home, dementia, frail, geriatric, mobility, the old, pensioner, retire, sprightly, widow not new
- 4 having existed or been used for a long time old habits He always gives the same old excuses. This carpet's getting pretty old now. opposite new Which Word?older / elder The usual comparative and superlative forms of old are older and oldest:My brother is older than me. The palace is the oldest building in the city. In British English you can also use elder and eldest when comparing the ages of people, especially members of the same family, although these words are not common in speech now. As adjectives they are only used before a noun and you cannot say ‘elder than’:my older/elder sister the elder/older of their two children I’m the eldest/oldest in the family. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verbsbe adverbextremely, fairly, very, … phrasesoldest known, oldest remaining, oldest surviving, … See full entry
- 5 [only before noun] former; belonging to past times or a past time in your life Things were different in the old days. I went back to visit my old school. Old and Middle English
- 6 [only before noun] used to refer to something that has been replaced by something else We had more room in our old house. opposite new
- 7 [only before noun] known for a long time She's an old friend of mine (= I have known her for a long time). We're old rivals. compare recent good old/poor old
- 8[only before noun] (informal) used to show affection or a lack of respect Good old Dad! You poor old thing! I hate her, the silly old cow! Oxford Collocations Dictionary phrasesboring old, silly old, dear old, … See full entry Word OriginOld English ald, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch oud and German alt, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘adult’, shared by Latin alere ‘nourish’.Extra examples Good old Dad! He was beginning to look old. He’s a silly old fool! He’s old enough by now to manage his own affairs. It’s a funny old world. It’s a very old tradition. It’s always the same old faces. It’s one of the oldest remaining parts of the church. It’s the world’s oldest surviving ship. She was fairly old when she got married. She’s a silly old cow! The way the young people rushed about made her feel old. These are some of the oldest known fossil remains. We’re all getting older. Why drink plain old water when you can have something better? You are as old as you feel. boring old history books I met up with some old school friends. It’s not easy to break old habits. She was a woman grown old before her time. She’s getting old—she’s 75 next year. These are some of the oldest trees in the world. Things were different in the old days. This carpet’s getting pretty old now.Idioms (informal) any item of the type mentioned (used when it is not important which particular item is chosen) Any old room would have done.
- 1very strong and able to deal successfully with difficult conditions or situations She’s almost 90 but she’s still as tough as old boots.
- 2not feeling or showing any emotion More Like ThisSimiles in idioms (as) bald as a coot, (as) blind as a bat, (as) bright as a button, (as) bold as brass, as busy as a bee, as clean as a whistle, (as) dead as a/the dodo, (as) deaf as a post, (as) dull as ditchwater, (as) fit as a fiddle, as flat as a pancake, (as) good as gold, (as) mad as a hatter/a March hare, (as) miserable/ugly as sin, as old as the hills, (as) pleased as Punch, as pretty as a picture, (as) regular as clockwork, (as) quick as a flash, (as) safe as houses, (as) sound as a bell, (as) steady as a rock, (as) thick as two short planks, (as) tough as old bootsSee worksheet.
age
(informal) in a careless or untidy way The books were piled up all over the floor any old how.
very old; ancient More Like ThisSimiles in idioms (as) bald as a coot, (as) blind as a bat, (as) bright as a button, (as) bold as brass, as busy as a bee, as clean as a whistle, (as) dead as a/the dodo, (as) deaf as a post, (as) dull as ditchwater, (as) fit as a fiddle, as flat as a pancake, (as) good as gold, (as) mad as a hatter/a March hare, (as) miserable/ugly as sin, as old as the hills, (as) pleased as Punch, as pretty as a picture, (as) regular as clockwork, (as) quick as a flash, (as) safe as houses, (as) sound as a bell, (as) steady as a rock, (as) thick as two short planks, (as) tough as old bootsSee worksheet.
(informal, disapproving) to be behaving in the same bad way as before He had soon spent all the money and was up to his old tricks.
(informal) a person who is very similar to their mother or father in the way that they look or behave
if you do something for old times’ sake, you do it because it is connected with something good that happened to you in the past
(informal) to dismiss somebody from their job; to end a relationship with somebody
an earlier period of time in your life or in history that is seen as better/worse than the present That was in the bad old days of rampant inflation.
a great age She finally learned to drive at the grand old age of 70.
a man who is respected in a particular profession that he has been involved in for a long time James Lovelock, the grand old man of environmental science
(old-fashioned, informal) to enjoy yourself very much
used to give an amount, a measurement, etc. using older or more traditional units that may be more familiar to some people The fish measured 29 centimetres (that's a foot in old money).
(British English, informal) money that is earned very easily, for something that needs little effort The job only took about an hour—it was money for old rope.
(saying) an older person who behaves in a stupid way is worse than a younger person who does the same thing, because experience should have taught him or her not to do it (formal or literary) in or since past times in days of old We know him of old (= we have known him for a long time).
(old-fashioned, British English, informal) used by older men of the middle and upper classes as a friendly way of addressing another man
(disapproving) very much older than somebody (especially used to suggest that a romantic or sexual relationship between the two people is not appropriate)
old enough to behave in a more sensible way than you actually did
used to describe a young person who acts in a more sensible way than you would expect for a person of their age
what usually happens It's the same old story of a badly managed project with inadequate funding.
(disapproving) an old idea or belief that has been proved not to be scientific
an old-fashioned person who likes to do things as they were done in the past see also old school
an age that is considered to be very old He lived to the ripe old age of 91.
to hurt or punish somebody who has harmed or cheated you in the past ‘Who would do such a thing?’ ‘Maybe someone with an old score to settle.’
(saying) (you cannot) successfully make people change their ideas, methods of work, etc., when they have had them for a long time
Check pronunciation: old
