age-oldˌage-ˈold adjective 
age-old customs the age-old problem of sexual discrimination► see thesaurus at old
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- man's age-old fear of snakes
- The age-old hatred between the two groups has never been dealt with.
- The vine is an age-old symbol of peace and prosperity.
- It was the age-old family mystery.
- Of course we return for the second act, succumbing to the age-old desire to see how it all turns out.
- The image of the Supercontinent Cycle adds yet another twist to this age-old theory.
- Theosophists rejuvenated an age-old belief in the visibility of spiritual states.
- They want to find out what it would be like to be a woman freed from all those age-old taboos.
- This is the supreme Zapatista authority and its decision-making follows an age-old democratic pattern.
- This, of course, was an age-old phenomenon, present in all materially advanced societies in the past.
THESAURUSthing
· an old car· an old Chinese saying
very old – used about things that existed thousands of years ago, or things that look very old: · ancient civilisations· an ancient Rolls Royce
antique furniture, clocks, jewellery etc are old and often valuable: · an antique writing desk
used about traditions, problems, or situations that have existed for a very long time: · the age-old tradition of morris dancing· the age-old prejudice against women in positions of power· the age-old problem of nationalism· age-old hatreds between religious groups
Longman Language Activatornot new · Sue was wearing jeans and an old blue jacket.· What she loved most about the old house was its privacy and spaciousness.· The Luna Baglioni is one of the oldest hotels in Venice.
very old - use this about buildings, cities, countries, languages, or customs that existed many hundreds of years ago: · Rome is famous for its ancient monuments.· an ancient Greek vaseancient Egypt/Rome/Babylon etc: · the pyramids of ancient Egyptthe ancient Egyptians/Chinese/Greeks etc (=the people who lived in Egypt etc many hundreds of years ago): · The ancient Chinese believed that we are born with a finite amount of energy in our bodies called chi.
: age-old symbol/custom/tradition etc one that has existed for a very long time: · The vine is an age-old symbol of peace and prosperity.· man's age-old fear of snakes
informal very old, used especially for describing machines, equipment etc: · This refrigerator is ancient -- it's time we bought a new one.· Doc drives an ancient Ford convertible.
British informal if you say that something is years old , you mean it is very old: · "I like your sweater." "Oh, thanks. It's years old -- I've had it since I was a teenager."
stories, jokes, customs etc that are as old as the hills are so old that no one remembers when they were first invented: · That story is as old as the hills!
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY the age-old problem of sexual discriminationCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
having existed for a very long timean age-old tradition/practice/custom etc British English British English age-old customs
age-old customs the age-old problem of sexual discrimination· Unfortunately they still don't solve the age-old problem - what to do with the things afterwards?· Child instruction has always been hampered by the age-old problem posed by constraints of religion.· With this age-old problem neatly disposed of, Warwick feels he need only concentrate on defining intelligence.· Little was done to resolve the age-old problem of land-distribution.· It's an age-old problem and nothing that a dab of string lubricant or Vaseline wouldn't cure.· In practical terms there is the age-old problem of accurate recording.· It was the age-old problem that had not been solved since the Populists first went to the people in the 1870s.
· As a cradle of the coal, iron and steel industries many of its age-old traditions still continue to this day.
age-old customs the age-old problem of sexual discrimination► see thesaurus at old