Definition of old in English:

old

adjectiveoldest, older əʊldoʊld

1Having lived for a long time; no longer young.
the old man lay propped up on cushions
See also elder, eldest
Example sentencesExamples
- A few years ago I bumped into some old people at a party who actually went to the show, and they raved about it.
- Crowds young and old lined the streets to clap and cheer the parade, led by brass brands, on their way to Albert Square.
- Although most likely in his thirties, the man had features that looked old beyond his years.
- Today she said she wanted to get everyone, young and old, involved in the community's regeneration.
- Carers for old people have been told to stop helping with shopping, cooking and cleaning as a council tries to cut costs.
- I turned to see the same old lady who had glared at me in the store.
- The setting for the film is a beautiful temple on a secluded lake where an old monk and his young charge live.
- Walkers young and old turned out in their droves at Hollingworth Lake at the weekend to help raise asthma awareness.
- He looked too old to be in high school; I assumed he was in college.
- Now we want all residents, young and old, to select a project in their neighbourhood and make a local improvement.
- There were old people coming to her premises by car who were not able to park outside her shop because of the taxi ranks.
- We look forward to meeting all our supporters young and old there that night.
- Chopsticks are clean and efficient and can be used by everyone from children to old people.
- I have taken very old people to the local doctor to have their age estimated.
- The survey also found that many single old people choose cohabitation instead of marriage.
- The majority of those left behind are too young, old or sick to travel far.
- The young virile fox is faster and will outrun the hounds, while the old fox past its prime will fall.
- I don't know how I'd get out if it wasn't for people like yourself that really care for old people like me.
- An old priest and a young one sat side by side on the ground with a book.
- Then we were walking along a path in a field, past some old trees, over their roots.
Synonyms
elderly, mature, aged, older, senior, advanced in years, up in years, getting on
in one's dotage, long in the tooth, grey, grey-haired, grey-bearded, grizzled, hoary
past one's prime, not as young as one was, ancient, decrepit, doddering, doddery, not long for this world, ripe, senescent, senile, superannuated, venerable, septuagenarian, octogenarian, nonagenarian, centenarian
informal past it, over the hill, no spring chicken
rare longevous
1. 1.1 Made or built long ago.
  the old quarter of the town
  Example sentencesExamples
  Parc du Chateau lies beyond the old town and rises so steeply uphill that there is a lift which will take you to the top.
  The area up by the old Japanese quarter had a lot of places I discovered that seemed pretty unchanged to me.
  It was stated that the bell was a very old one and had belonged to the late Mr. Churchley's grandfather.
  The new gravel road has been built parallel to the old tarmac Gun Park Road
  One place I used to deliver the papers to in the wintry darkness was in the big old cemetery out beyond the edge of town.
  The centre is in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter of this handsome old city.
  He wanders past the old city gate, marooned by itself on an island in the traffic.
  It's built out of an old palace which has some of the most beautiful Buddhist art I've ever seen.
  Although it is quite a steep hill up to the old quarter once there the land levels out and it is very pleasant to walk around.
  She was a beautiful old steam yacht belonging originally to the Guinness family.
  Along the rural lanes beyond Arambol, old farmhouses are enclosed in latticed palm shade.
  A team of four heavily built labourers had been contracted to demolish the old building to make way for a new office block.
  Hong got out of the taxi, and walked past a couple old warehouses as the cab sped away.
  Explore the Lowther Hills or wander along lower-level paths, past the old lead mine workings.
  The old quarter is also worth a stroll around, with some nice cafes in the Naranjas square.
  Please don't repeat the mistakes made in the past, because old buildings can be made part of the future.
  Hidden in a narrow alley of the old quarter of Nice, one discovered it by chance or word-of-mouth.
  The bottom line is the original house was old and it was time to replace it.
  Faint remains of a Venetian fort lie crumbling on the hill above the old quarter.
  In the past, the old surface was dug up with ear-splitting pneumatic drills and dumped at landfill sites.
  Synonyms
  historic, antiquated
  dilapidated, broken-down, run down, tumbledown, ramshackle, decaying, crumbling, disintegrating
2. 1.2 Possessed or used for a long time.
  he gave his old clothes away
  Example sentencesExamples
  Apparently, there was concern about some old papers now in my possession and she was going to want to check them.
  It was one of those houses where the only things in the attic were old toys, clothes, and boxes.
  She got into her old nightgown and hung her wet clothes in the sunlight of her room.
  I see a total mess and my room is a really a pile of clothes and old toys.
  His prized possession was an old army greatcoat that reached almost down to his ankles.
  I wear moonboots from the boutique; a hut where you drop off old clothes and pick up whatever you need.
  People are urged to take along old toys and clothing to donate to the needy and candles and carols sheets are on sale.
  All of a sudden, I was back in my old clothes with some of my old things, hanging out with friends in the way I used to do.
  Imagine that your garage is filled chock-a-block with old furniture and other kinds of junk.
  There's not much of a market for old dictionaries with half the pages missing.
  Some have been offering old clothes but these have been rejected by most charities.
  Why everyone seems to find it a necessity to carry around old pictures is beyond me.
  A number of houses have been given a box to collect glass, cans and old clothes
  To take part, all you need to do is turn up in warm, old clothes, with sensible sturdy shoes.
  All artwork created by the kids can be taken home that day and children are advised to wear old clothes.
  You should bring old, warm waterproof clothes, sturdy boots and a packed lunch.
  Her clothes were battered, her face bruised and her boots old, but she held herself proudly.
  He pulled the object up and saw it was an old red wool bag and filled with clothes of rich material.
  Some have been offering old clothes, but these offers have been rejected by most charities.
  Do the donors who feed money and old possessions in at one end of the pipeline have any ideas where it leads?
  Synonyms
  worn, worn out, shabby, threadbare, holey, torn, frayed, patched, tattered, moth-eaten, ragged, yellowed
  old-fashioned, out of date, outmoded
  cast-off, hand-me-down
  French démodé
  informal tatty
  antique, veteran, vintage
3. 1.3US informal Boring or tiresome, especially as a result of repetition or overfamiliarity.
  I wish she'd shut up—it's getting old
  Example sentencesExamples
  For those who know Stan, you've heard many of these stories before - but surprisingly they never get old.
  The Soderbergh-interviewing-Soderbergh stunt was a clever idea, but it gets old in a hurry.
  If you ate filet mignon every day, it would get old.
  It's the yelling part that gets old pretty fast, as it constitutes just about every line that comes out of Wilder's mouth.
  Plus, all of the self-deprecating, angst-riddled lines that Allen writes for himself (or his stand-in) have gotten a little old over the years.
  The action is hackneyed - the slo-mo martial arts stuff was neat the first time, but it was already getting old by the time it was re-used in The Matrix Reloaded.
  Despite pinching from everything from silent movies to CSI, the ring scenes get old fast, mostly because they hold no surprises.
  After 17 years of working with them, that group as a whole got real old.
  As played by Mercedes Cechetto, Sabine has an undeniable brashness, but her adventures feel scripted rather than natural and her sullen pout gets old very fast.
  He decides to cool off at the Riverbend Apartments, a swinging singles paradise outside Atlanta, a Pleasure Island for adults, but even that gets old.
  Does the "nerd" thing ever get old?
  Also, his obsession with time and punctuality does get old after a while, at times threatening to turn the character into a one-trick pony.
  The studios keep making this genre of film, and people still go and see them, but they're getting old fast.
  Boxing movies never get old.
  The premise would have had much more to work with as a drama than as a comedy; there are only so many gay jokes you can do before they get old and they alone cannot carry the film.
  It gets old very quickly seeing person after person heap buttery praise on everyone and everything associated with the production.
  There are a few humorous moments among the outtakes, though otherwise they get old pretty quickly.
  Season three has degenerated to a point where they are just trying to break any taboo they can, and it's getting a little old.
  The acting, singing and music were great, but the quirky comedy got a little old for me in this one.
4. 1.4 Having the characteristics or showing the signs of age.
  he complained of being old beyond his years
  Example sentencesExamples
  The strings are so old they sound like dusty clothes lines that are grossly out of tune.
  He is no long the hard hitting slugger with a swing that could shake a stadium, but he still has a little bit of magic in his old bones.
  She stared at the patch of old wallpaper: huge pink and red roses, gaudy, sentimental.
2attributive Belonging to the past; former.
valuation under the old rating system was inexact
Example sentencesExamples
- Today's feelings were sparked by me walking past my old primary school yesterday for the first time in ages.
- National is being led to the sad, old rhetoric of the past; it cannot help itself.
- An attempt by the Kazakh authorities to privatise the old system of collective farming failed.
- Well, regional leagues were tried in the past with the old Division Three North and Division Three South.
- Parker smiled and started to walk over to Jamie as she walked past him to her old seat in the corner.
- The agriculture crisis has destroyed the old barter system he had with his regular clients.
- Nothing is more damaging to status in the group than using old slang.
- One of its campaigns is an attack on asylum seekers, which recycles a old leaflet used in past BNP campaigns.
- This road takes you past the old whaling station that is to be converted to a visitors centre at some point.
- Today we face new challenges that simply can't be answered in the old language of race relations.
- In many respects his plays, like his personal life, belonged to the old regime.
- To get there, you walk past the old cricket pavilion, now the province of the Scouts.
- The Doctor would be able to go back to Gallifrey and see all his old mates and new people that didn't used to exist in his Universe.
- By tradition, remakes of old arcade games are rubbish, but Midway seem to have missed the ruling.
- Some quarters in Pakistan continue to sustain the old notion of two-nation theory.
- Fini's party has its roots in the fascist organisation of the past and includes many old fascists.
- Those that wish to revert to the old system of omnipotent sub-sovereigns also miss the point.
- I got to know a little bit about it, at least the old Berlin of the past, through Benjamin's eyes.
- Mr Jopson believes the old system the ambulance service used to operate ten years ago worked much better.
- In the Czech Republic, the old nobility is enjoying a new lease of life.
- Their defensive mentality is locked in the past and based on old glories.
Synonyms
bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest
1. 2.1 Used to refer to a thing which has been replaced by something similar.
  we moved back into our old house
  Example sentencesExamples
  The sense was that these were books belonging to the old or new covenant, not that the books themselves were the covenants.
  Fred was sitting close by, working on replacing old laces with fresh ones on greenhide pack bags.
  It meant giving up her old name, all her possessions, shaving her head and wearing burgundy and yellow robes.
  Now Volvo has taken the concept even further with the launch of a stunning new V70 estate to replace the old model.
  Before the wedding the kitchen was renovated and an electric stove was put in to replace the old coal range.
  It now appears as if a new Railway bridge will be put in place to replace the old low bridge that was damaged recently.
  What could she do but move on, find a new life and new dreams? - the old one was beyond repair.
  But does this mean that you should throw out your old database and replace it with this one?
  The charity hopes to replace its old helicopter this year with a new, larger model and then work towards buying a second one.
  So there's a lot to unwind, to undo, if you are going to revert to the old spelling.
  But Southampton transport planners have said there are no plans to dig up the old ramps or replace them.
  Most people have had more than one job and it is easy to lose track of old employers and the pension schemes you may have paid into.
  We know that many old bridges are being replaced by modern bridges way too fast.
  That will mean he will miss the West Riding County Cup quarter-final against his old club on Wednesday.
  Yes, the bus will actually go past the old Supreme Court where the trials took place.
  The rationale for replacing the old buses remains slightly mysterious.
  The bridge replaces the old North Bridge which has now been closed except for light traffic and pedestrians.
  Friends say these views are what makes Sunderland such an interesting mix of old and new Cadbury values.
  And don't you hate it even more when you realise that they're referring to your old webspace?
  I did the Swatch Biker-X last year on Cullys old bike and made it to the quarters.
  The only setback was that I was unable to import the comments from the old system.
  Following discussions with the contractor, new brighter bollards will this week replace the old ones.
  Synonyms
  former, previous, ex-, one-time, sometime, erstwhile, once, then, lapsed
  formal quondam
2. 2.2 Dating from far back; long-established or known.
  we greeted each other like old friends
  I get sick of the same old routine
  Example sentencesExamples
  At a certain point the old system is full of too many contradictions to sustain itself.
  These old songs belong to an era long gone, but the issues they address are still relevant today.
  They, on the other hand, were at their old game of sloppy passing and giving away possession.
  It was as comfortable as an old shoe, and it brought back old memories from the past.
  One could settle for the same old brand every time, but to get stuck in a fragrance rut is a cardinal sin.
  I rush over, and find that an old friend of mine is attending the casualty.
  On the dinner table the conversation turns to the characters in an old Western movie.
  The event is funded by old and new businesses in the Quarter, and the city council.
  What on earth possessed me to read through those old emails and instant message files?
  I belong to the old imperial class who want to put up roads and hospitals and make life easier for people.
  Jim, as he was popularly known, belonged to an old and highly respected family in the district.
  However, the name of the artist and date of some of the old works might be beyond identification.
  They have identified the need to extend the day, to keep cities alive beyond the old working hours.
  By recording all database changes, it also goes beyond simply archiving old messages.
  How many times do we need to see the same old arguments made and the same sources quoted?
  Can you weblog and not keep cropping up amongst the same old lists of sites?
  Sometimes the old order is beyond reform and simply has to go in order to make way for the new.
  Not to get you into another relationship, but to move yourself beyond the old patterns.
  These aren't the same old depressing allegations, no, this time the allegations are red hot!
  You can resolve the same old problem with a new approach and make a breakthrough.
  Synonyms
  hackneyed, hack, banal, trite, overused, overworked, cut and dried, tired, worn out, time-worn, stale, stereotyped, clichéd, platitudinous, unoriginal, derivative, unimaginative, commonplace, common, pedestrian, prosaic, run-of-the-mill, stock, conventional
  out of date, outdated, old-fashioned, outmoded, archaic, obsolete, defunct, extinct, antiquated, antediluvian, superannuated, hoary
  French passé
  informal old hat, out of the ark, corny, fuddy-duddy, played out, hacky
  time-honoured, old-time, long-established, age-old, long-standing, long-lived, enduring, lasting
  familiar, customary, conventional, established, ritual, ritualistic, habitual, set, fixed, routine, usual, wonted, historic, folk, old-world, ancestral
3. 2.3 Denoting someone who formerly attended a specified school.
  an old Etonian
  Example sentencesExamples
  Maybe old Etonian James will bring his father round to seeing the value of theatre that is radical, critical, foul-mouthed and rude.
  Three Old Carthusians have won the Victoria Cross.
  George Bullough, a 6ft 5in old Harrovian, had become the company's principal shareholder on the death in 1891 of his father.
4. 2.4 (of a form of a language) as used in former or earliest times.
  Example sentencesExamples
  There are 114 chapters in the Qur'an, which is written in the old Arabic dialect.
  They are given in the book in the form of old Irish writing, new Irish writing and English.
  This describes perfectly his career as a philologist and his passion for old languages.
3in combination Of a specified age.
he was fourteetn years old
a seven-month-old baby
1. 3.1as noun, in combination A person or animal of the age specified.
  a nineteen-year-old
4informal attributive Used to express affection, familiarity, or contempt.
good old Mum
I didn't like playing with silly old dolls
Example sentencesExamples
- I started using the good old notebook recently and all I have got is a list of random ideas that need sorting.
- No studio, thus far, has bankrolled a big production about good old association football.
- Those of us who take our cynicism neat had a good old chuckle about that.
- I rode him first at Punchestown in the autumn of 1999 and we've had a good old haul together.
- No one can throw a wrench into family values and the good old American dream quite like he can.
- There's a good old adage which really does work, If you want something doing well, do it yourself!
- Whether you're looking for a tactical boxing match or a good old slug-fest, Knockout Kings has it all.
- I remember when I read the book the first time and I read this one part and had a good old chuckle to myself.
- Those who yearn for the good old warehouse days are going to appreciate the jazzy, ambient vibe.
- Because having been voted in, you just know that they will be up to the same old tricks.
- So, for this event, I cooked from just regular vegetables and good old ingredients.
- Forty one per cent of people admit to being surface cleaners, never doing a good old clean.
- Here even the good old Scholl has acquired a sexy new heel and comes in the colours of the rainbow.
- To say that people get really drunk because of drinks promotions is a load of old tosh.
- I really fancy my guests having a right good old toast to my memory.
- They like remembering the good old times in the spacious room with furniture matching the topic.
- Is it time for a return to the good old values of Yorkshire thrift?
- Ah, I thought, that good old British tolerance and decency really warms your heart.
- Reshepu strongly felt the good old postboxes were being neglected and he chose them as his subject.
- We always lament how big parties have killed the good old one-to-one conversation.
- Get rid of the new-labour new-tory dictatorships and let's have good old democracy back again!

Phrases

any old

Any item of a specified type (used to show that no particular individual is in question)
any old room would have done
Example sentencesExamples
- But the press cannot seriously claim to be acting as public watchdog when it publishes any old rubbish.
- Acting is a refined craft that takes years to perfect and isn't something that can just be knocked out by any old Joe Schmoe.
- Over the weekend however, I hope I was able to show that any old hack can get in a bus and go up the mountain for a few days.
- People are saying they don't want any old tat, they want to find quality and they want to find a bargain, that is special and unique.
- Just feeding it into any old shredder will do just fine.
- Don't be ridiculous, I scolded, you're just trying to think up any old excuse so you can get up from the computer.
- It's so simple that any old sailor and any old journalist can litigate it in less than two minutes.
- My teachers would buy any old excuse for why I couldn't be at school.
- I decided last year that I wasn't going to go on applying for just any old office job just because I need the money.
- This wasn't just any old fad, though, but one which has dominated western eating habits for almost the last eight years.

any old how

In no particular order.
they've dropped things just any old how
Example sentencesExamples
- They were owned animals and presumably valuable livestock that just did not happen any old how but were deliberately bought and raised by a farmer.
- Good, new architecture surely should be neighbourly, not just ‘creative interventions’, any old how.
- We'll do what is to be done and end this game any old how.
- They drew up ten artists she liked, made a list of what they know about Diana, and then joined up the two lists any old how.
- Everything's just plonked down any old how, without any coherent alphabetical system to guide you round.
- They were not chucking things away any old how, but instead made sure that each item carried the maximum message to the underworld.
Synonyms
in disorder, in a muddle, in a jumble, in disarray, in a disorganized manner, untidily, haphazardly, indiscriminately, in a mess, in confusion, in a heap, anyhow, any old how, pell-mell, topsy-turvy

as old as the hills

Very old (often used in exaggerated statements)
the technology we're using is as old as the hills
Example sentencesExamples
- Some of the reasons for this are as old as the hills.
- What's going on is not exceptional… it's a story as old as the hills and a lot older than the Internet.
- Feeling as old as the hills, I get my coat and leave.
- Sure, this technique is as old as the hills, but it works.
- The story of men clinging to power long after they have outlived their uselessness is as old as the hills and just as obvious.
- The idea of marriage is almost as old as the hills and was performed even in the most primitive of human societies and cultures.
- The schemes and lures used to motivate us to forward chain letters are as old as the hills, and we only annoy our friends by sending them on.
- The story is as old as the hills, and there can be nothing compelling about such hackneyed themes.
- To value the sound of a poem as much as its written meaning may seem like a new thing; in fact it's as old as the hills.
- Now this debate might be and probably is as old as the hills - I honestly don't know, but I can at least guess.
Synonyms
out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated, anachronistic, ancient, antediluvian, superannuated, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, prehistoric

be old enough to be someone's father (or mother)

informal Be much older than someone (used to suggest that a romantic or sexual relationship between the people concerned is inappropriate)
he was furious with her for wasting herself on a man old enough to be her father
Example sentencesExamples
- It was another of John's meaningless sexual encounters, and this one with a woman old enough to be his mother.
- Good looking guys are allowed to ogle, but not ones old enough to be your father.
- I am not jealous, because she's old enough to be his mother.
- You're darling, but you should be chatting up other 21-year-olds instead of someone who's old enough to be your mother.
- Cat calmly turned around and looked at the trucker, he was old enough to be her father and big enough to crush her with one fist.
- As a young doctor he also finds himself falling for the same woman - who happens to be old enough to be his mother.
- I was terrified, I was talking to a man old enough to be my father and he wanted me to come visit him.
- She married a man old enough to be her father, then took him on a honeymoon too strenuous for his heart.
- Only minutes later, she returns with her catch of the day: a man old enough to be her father, if not her father's father.
- I went on a ‘date’ with a man old enough to be my father.

of old

1In or belonging to the past.
he was more reticent than of old
Example sentencesExamples
- As the second half proceeded Tyrone players started to play with the flare and skill of old.
- He bulled forward like the heavyweight boxer of old, scoring nine times in eight climactic games.
- The threat is that the multicultural divisions of old become battle lines.
- After this year, the tatty old displays of old just won't be good enough.
- Every Tuesday night, people ramble in for the music and chat and to see the cottage as in days of old.
- Then there was Sonia, from the word go it was obvious she was not the Sonia of old, yet she gave it a go.
- In days of old, High Sheriffs had the authority to raise an army and even order executions of convicts.
- Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats were behaving more like the Labour Party of old.
- I look through the squad and don't see the quality of old, in particular when I look at their attack.
- They played some great football and looked like the team of old that was back to themselves.
Synonyms
bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest
2For a long time.
they knew him of old

the old days

A period in the past, typically regarded as significantly better or worse than the present.
it was easier in the old days
we are less confident than in the good old days
Example sentencesExamples
- In the bad old days, some companies were little more than legalised charlatans.
- It wasn't like this in the old days: they cared so much about the art they had riots and everything.
- Let's try to enjoy today more and maybe we will miss the good old days less.
- Harriet recalls the good old days when they gave you the plot three times in the half-hour episode.
- Molly had some great memories of the old days to recall and share with family and friends.
- In the old days, he explains, they learned gardening from the elders of their tribe.
- In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
- She had a good recall of the old days and enjoyed sharing those memories with friends.
- It's like small town hospitals used to be back in the old days, modest, but complete and perfect.
- In the old days, only the aged could afford the trip; now the affluent young want a taste, too.

the Old Firm

informal (in Scotland) a name for Celtic and Rangers Football Clubs.
as modifier an Old Firm match

you can't put an old head on young shoulders

proverb You can't expect a young person to have the wisdom or maturity associated with older people.

Derivatives

oldish

adjective ˈəʊldɪʃˈoʊldɪʃ

It's an oldish building, but it's nice, fairly weathertight, and fits my needs.
Example sentencesExamples
- An oldish couple approached the crossing as I was aiming my camera.
- ‘Good afternoon,’ said an oldish man with a deep voice.
- You can see the Assistant website here, listen to some oldish but goodish demos here, and find out about the next gig here, too, when we know about it.
- In fact, he might even be considered on the oldish side, although no-one would dare tell him that to his face.

oldness

noun

I just like the atmosphere inside churches, and the oldness of them.
Example sentencesExamples
- I was thinking about oldness and how it shouldn't really be measured by physical age.
- At 103 years of age, though, Mr. Murray described him as frail by oldness.
- When she started to climb, each stair creaked with oldness.
- His opponents on the ultra-left demand we save our party from newness and demand a return to an oldness that never really existed anyway.

Origin

Old 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'.

This word shares an ancient root with Latin alere ‘to nourish’, which links it with alimony. The old boy network providing mutual assistance (and often career advancement) among people from the same social and educational background goes back to the 1950s. Members of such a group might well refer to ideas of group loyalty and tradition in terms of the old school tie—values seen as associated with wearing the tie of a particular public school. The first writers to use this phrase were those astute social commentators Rudyard Kipling and George Orwell in the 1930s. An old wives' tale is a widely held traditional belief now thought to be unscientific or incorrect. This phrase, with its earlier variant an old wives' fable, has been part of the language since the 16th century. It is first found in William Tyndale's translation of the Bible, where the faithful are instructed to ‘cast away’ such stories. Some behaviour becomes inappropriate as you get older, and there is a risk for some of being considered a dirty old man. First recorded in the 1930s, the phrase was Harold Steptoe's familiar rebuke to his father in the TV comedy Steptoe and Son (1962–74).

Rhymes

behold, bold, cold, enfold, fold, foretold, gold, hold, mould (US mold), outsold, scold, self-controlled, sold, told, uncontrolled, undersold, unpolled, uphold, withhold, wold

Definition of old in US English:

old

adjectiveoʊldōld

1Having lived for a long time; no longer young.
the old man lay propped up on cushions
See also elder, eldest
Example sentencesExamples
- There were old people coming to her premises by car who were not able to park outside her shop because of the taxi ranks.
- I don't know how I'd get out if it wasn't for people like yourself that really care for old people like me.
- I turned to see the same old lady who had glared at me in the store.
- The survey also found that many single old people choose cohabitation instead of marriage.
- A few years ago I bumped into some old people at a party who actually went to the show, and they raved about it.
- Although most likely in his thirties, the man had features that looked old beyond his years.
- We look forward to meeting all our supporters young and old there that night.
- Chopsticks are clean and efficient and can be used by everyone from children to old people.
- The young virile fox is faster and will outrun the hounds, while the old fox past its prime will fall.
- Carers for old people have been told to stop helping with shopping, cooking and cleaning as a council tries to cut costs.
- I have taken very old people to the local doctor to have their age estimated.
- The majority of those left behind are too young, old or sick to travel far.
- He looked too old to be in high school; I assumed he was in college.
- The setting for the film is a beautiful temple on a secluded lake where an old monk and his young charge live.
- Walkers young and old turned out in their droves at Hollingworth Lake at the weekend to help raise asthma awareness.
- An old priest and a young one sat side by side on the ground with a book.
- Crowds young and old lined the streets to clap and cheer the parade, led by brass brands, on their way to Albert Square.
- Now we want all residents, young and old, to select a project in their neighbourhood and make a local improvement.
- Then we were walking along a path in a field, past some old trees, over their roots.
- Today she said she wanted to get everyone, young and old, involved in the community's regeneration.
Synonyms
elderly, mature, aged, older, senior, advanced in years, up in years, getting on
1. 1.1 Made or built long ago.
  the old quarter of the town
  Example sentencesExamples
  He wanders past the old city gate, marooned by itself on an island in the traffic.
  Hidden in a narrow alley of the old quarter of Nice, one discovered it by chance or word-of-mouth.
  Along the rural lanes beyond Arambol, old farmhouses are enclosed in latticed palm shade.
  Although it is quite a steep hill up to the old quarter once there the land levels out and it is very pleasant to walk around.
  Explore the Lowther Hills or wander along lower-level paths, past the old lead mine workings.
  In the past, the old surface was dug up with ear-splitting pneumatic drills and dumped at landfill sites.
  Please don't repeat the mistakes made in the past, because old buildings can be made part of the future.
  The new gravel road has been built parallel to the old tarmac Gun Park Road
  It's built out of an old palace which has some of the most beautiful Buddhist art I've ever seen.
  The area up by the old Japanese quarter had a lot of places I discovered that seemed pretty unchanged to me.
  She was a beautiful old steam yacht belonging originally to the Guinness family.
  Hong got out of the taxi, and walked past a couple old warehouses as the cab sped away.
  The old quarter is also worth a stroll around, with some nice cafes in the Naranjas square.
  Parc du Chateau lies beyond the old town and rises so steeply uphill that there is a lift which will take you to the top.
  It was stated that the bell was a very old one and had belonged to the late Mr. Churchley's grandfather.
  The centre is in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter of this handsome old city.
  A team of four heavily built labourers had been contracted to demolish the old building to make way for a new office block.
  The bottom line is the original house was old and it was time to replace it.
  One place I used to deliver the papers to in the wintry darkness was in the big old cemetery out beyond the edge of town.
  Faint remains of a Venetian fort lie crumbling on the hill above the old quarter.
  Synonyms
  historic, antiquated
2. 1.2 Possessed or used for a long time.
  he gave his old clothes away
  Example sentencesExamples
  To take part, all you need to do is turn up in warm, old clothes, with sensible sturdy shoes.
  Do the donors who feed money and old possessions in at one end of the pipeline have any ideas where it leads?
  I see a total mess and my room is a really a pile of clothes and old toys.
  All of a sudden, I was back in my old clothes with some of my old things, hanging out with friends in the way I used to do.
  A number of houses have been given a box to collect glass, cans and old clothes
  He pulled the object up and saw it was an old red wool bag and filled with clothes of rich material.
  All artwork created by the kids can be taken home that day and children are advised to wear old clothes.
  She got into her old nightgown and hung her wet clothes in the sunlight of her room.
  Why everyone seems to find it a necessity to carry around old pictures is beyond me.
  Apparently, there was concern about some old papers now in my possession and she was going to want to check them.
  You should bring old, warm waterproof clothes, sturdy boots and a packed lunch.
  It was one of those houses where the only things in the attic were old toys, clothes, and boxes.
  Imagine that your garage is filled chock-a-block with old furniture and other kinds of junk.
  Some have been offering old clothes but these have been rejected by most charities.
  There's not much of a market for old dictionaries with half the pages missing.
  His prized possession was an old army greatcoat that reached almost down to his ankles.
  I wear moonboots from the boutique; a hut where you drop off old clothes and pick up whatever you need.
  Some have been offering old clothes, but these offers have been rejected by most charities.
  Her clothes were battered, her face bruised and her boots old, but she held herself proudly.
  People are urged to take along old toys and clothing to donate to the needy and candles and carols sheets are on sale.
  Synonyms
  worn, worn out, shabby, threadbare, holey, torn, frayed, patched, tattered, moth-eaten, ragged, yellowed
  antique, veteran, vintage
3. 1.3US informal Boring or tiresome, especially as a result of repetition or overfamiliarity.
  I wish she'd shut up—it's getting old
  Example sentencesExamples
  Boxing movies never get old.
  Plus, all of the self-deprecating, angst-riddled lines that Allen writes for himself (or his stand-in) have gotten a little old over the years.
  Despite pinching from everything from silent movies to CSI, the ring scenes get old fast, mostly because they hold no surprises.
  There are a few humorous moments among the outtakes, though otherwise they get old pretty quickly.
  It gets old very quickly seeing person after person heap buttery praise on everyone and everything associated with the production.
  If you ate filet mignon every day, it would get old.
  The Soderbergh-interviewing-Soderbergh stunt was a clever idea, but it gets old in a hurry.
  It's the yelling part that gets old pretty fast, as it constitutes just about every line that comes out of Wilder's mouth.
  The acting, singing and music were great, but the quirky comedy got a little old for me in this one.
  Also, his obsession with time and punctuality does get old after a while, at times threatening to turn the character into a one-trick pony.
  Season three has degenerated to a point where they are just trying to break any taboo they can, and it's getting a little old.
  The premise would have had much more to work with as a drama than as a comedy; there are only so many gay jokes you can do before they get old and they alone cannot carry the film.
  The studios keep making this genre of film, and people still go and see them, but they're getting old fast.
  Does the "nerd" thing ever get old?
  As played by Mercedes Cechetto, Sabine has an undeniable brashness, but her adventures feel scripted rather than natural and her sullen pout gets old very fast.
  He decides to cool off at the Riverbend Apartments, a swinging singles paradise outside Atlanta, a Pleasure Island for adults, but even that gets old.
  After 17 years of working with them, that group as a whole got real old.
  The action is hackneyed - the slo-mo martial arts stuff was neat the first time, but it was already getting old by the time it was re-used in The Matrix Reloaded.
  For those who know Stan, you've heard many of these stories before - but surprisingly they never get old.
4. 1.4 Having the characteristics or showing the signs of age.
  he complained of being old beyond his years
  Example sentencesExamples
  He is no long the hard hitting slugger with a swing that could shake a stadium, but he still has a little bit of magic in his old bones.
  The strings are so old they sound like dusty clothes lines that are grossly out of tune.
  She stared at the patch of old wallpaper: huge pink and red roses, gaudy, sentimental.
2attributive Belonging only or chiefly to the past; former or previous.
valuation under the old rating system was inexact
Example sentencesExamples
- One of its campaigns is an attack on asylum seekers, which recycles a old leaflet used in past BNP campaigns.
- Today we face new challenges that simply can't be answered in the old language of race relations.
- In the Czech Republic, the old nobility is enjoying a new lease of life.
- Nothing is more damaging to status in the group than using old slang.
- Those that wish to revert to the old system of omnipotent sub-sovereigns also miss the point.
- The Doctor would be able to go back to Gallifrey and see all his old mates and new people that didn't used to exist in his Universe.
- I got to know a little bit about it, at least the old Berlin of the past, through Benjamin's eyes.
- By tradition, remakes of old arcade games are rubbish, but Midway seem to have missed the ruling.
- Well, regional leagues were tried in the past with the old Division Three North and Division Three South.
- The agriculture crisis has destroyed the old barter system he had with his regular clients.
- To get there, you walk past the old cricket pavilion, now the province of the Scouts.
- In many respects his plays, like his personal life, belonged to the old regime.
- Today's feelings were sparked by me walking past my old primary school yesterday for the first time in ages.
- An attempt by the Kazakh authorities to privatise the old system of collective farming failed.
- Mr Jopson believes the old system the ambulance service used to operate ten years ago worked much better.
- National is being led to the sad, old rhetoric of the past; it cannot help itself.
- Some quarters in Pakistan continue to sustain the old notion of two-nation theory.
- Fini's party has its roots in the fascist organisation of the past and includes many old fascists.
- Parker smiled and started to walk over to Jamie as she walked past him to her old seat in the corner.
- Their defensive mentality is locked in the past and based on old glories.
- This road takes you past the old whaling station that is to be converted to a visitors centre at some point.
Synonyms
bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest
1. 2.1 Used to refer to the first of two or more similar things.
  I was going to try to get my old job back
  Example sentencesExamples
  The rationale for replacing the old buses remains slightly mysterious.
  The sense was that these were books belonging to the old or new covenant, not that the books themselves were the covenants.
  And don't you hate it even more when you realise that they're referring to your old webspace?
  The charity hopes to replace its old helicopter this year with a new, larger model and then work towards buying a second one.
  Fred was sitting close by, working on replacing old laces with fresh ones on greenhide pack bags.
  Friends say these views are what makes Sunderland such an interesting mix of old and new Cadbury values.
  It now appears as if a new Railway bridge will be put in place to replace the old low bridge that was damaged recently.
  So there's a lot to unwind, to undo, if you are going to revert to the old spelling.
  Following discussions with the contractor, new brighter bollards will this week replace the old ones.
  I did the Swatch Biker-X last year on Cullys old bike and made it to the quarters.
  The bridge replaces the old North Bridge which has now been closed except for light traffic and pedestrians.
  Most people have had more than one job and it is easy to lose track of old employers and the pension schemes you may have paid into.
  But Southampton transport planners have said there are no plans to dig up the old ramps or replace them.
  That will mean he will miss the West Riding County Cup quarter-final against his old club on Wednesday.
  What could she do but move on, find a new life and new dreams? - the old one was beyond repair.
  Now Volvo has taken the concept even further with the launch of a stunning new V70 estate to replace the old model.
  Yes, the bus will actually go past the old Supreme Court where the trials took place.
  It meant giving up her old name, all her possessions, shaving her head and wearing burgundy and yellow robes.
  But does this mean that you should throw out your old database and replace it with this one?
  Before the wedding the kitchen was renovated and an electric stove was put in to replace the old coal range.
  The only setback was that I was unable to import the comments from the old system.
  We know that many old bridges are being replaced by modern bridges way too fast.
  Synonyms
  former, previous, ex-, one-time, sometime, erstwhile, once, then, lapsed
2. 2.2 Dating from far back; long-established or known.
  we greet each other like old friends
  I get sick of the same old routine
  Example sentencesExamples
  Jim, as he was popularly known, belonged to an old and highly respected family in the district.
  They have identified the need to extend the day, to keep cities alive beyond the old working hours.
  How many times do we need to see the same old arguments made and the same sources quoted?
  They, on the other hand, were at their old game of sloppy passing and giving away possession.
  These old songs belong to an era long gone, but the issues they address are still relevant today.
  Not to get you into another relationship, but to move yourself beyond the old patterns.
  What on earth possessed me to read through those old emails and instant message files?
  One could settle for the same old brand every time, but to get stuck in a fragrance rut is a cardinal sin.
  Can you weblog and not keep cropping up amongst the same old lists of sites?
  On the dinner table the conversation turns to the characters in an old Western movie.
  It was as comfortable as an old shoe, and it brought back old memories from the past.
  Sometimes the old order is beyond reform and simply has to go in order to make way for the new.
  The event is funded by old and new businesses in the Quarter, and the city council.
  However, the name of the artist and date of some of the old works might be beyond identification.
  By recording all database changes, it also goes beyond simply archiving old messages.
  You can resolve the same old problem with a new approach and make a breakthrough.
  I belong to the old imperial class who want to put up roads and hospitals and make life easier for people.
  These aren't the same old depressing allegations, no, this time the allegations are red hot!
  At a certain point the old system is full of too many contradictions to sustain itself.
  I rush over, and find that an old friend of mine is attending the casualty.
  Synonyms
  hackneyed, hack, banal, trite, overused, overworked, cut and dried, tired, worn out, time-worn, stale, stereotyped, clichéd, platitudinous, unoriginal, derivative, unimaginative, commonplace, common, pedestrian, prosaic, run-of-the-mill, stock, conventional
  time-honoured, old-time, long-established, age-old, long-standing, long-lived, enduring, lasting
3. 2.3 (of a form of a language) as used in former or earliest times.
  Example sentencesExamples
  They are given in the book in the form of old Irish writing, new Irish writing and English.
  This describes perfectly his career as a philologist and his passion for old languages.
  There are 114 chapters in the Qur'an, which is written in the old Arabic dialect.
3in combination Of a specified age.
he was fourteetn years old
a seven-month-old baby
1. 3.1as noun, in combination A person or animal of the age specified.
  a nineteen-year-old
4informal attributive Used to express affection, familiarity, or contempt.
it gets the old adrenaline going
“Good old Mom,” she said
Example sentencesExamples
- We always lament how big parties have killed the good old one-to-one conversation.
- Those who yearn for the good old warehouse days are going to appreciate the jazzy, ambient vibe.
- I remember when I read the book the first time and I read this one part and had a good old chuckle to myself.
- Get rid of the new-labour new-tory dictatorships and let's have good old democracy back again!
- So, for this event, I cooked from just regular vegetables and good old ingredients.
- I rode him first at Punchestown in the autumn of 1999 and we've had a good old haul together.
- Here even the good old Scholl has acquired a sexy new heel and comes in the colours of the rainbow.
- They like remembering the good old times in the spacious room with furniture matching the topic.
- No studio, thus far, has bankrolled a big production about good old association football.
- Is it time for a return to the good old values of Yorkshire thrift?
- Ah, I thought, that good old British tolerance and decency really warms your heart.
- No one can throw a wrench into family values and the good old American dream quite like he can.
- I started using the good old notebook recently and all I have got is a list of random ideas that need sorting.
- I really fancy my guests having a right good old toast to my memory.
- Whether you're looking for a tactical boxing match or a good old slug-fest, Knockout Kings has it all.
- There's a good old adage which really does work, If you want something doing well, do it yourself!
- Forty one per cent of people admit to being surface cleaners, never doing a good old clean.
- Because having been voted in, you just know that they will be up to the same old tricks.
- Reshepu strongly felt the good old postboxes were being neglected and he chose them as his subject.
- To say that people get really drunk because of drinks promotions is a load of old tosh.
- Those of us who take our cynicism neat had a good old chuckle about that.

Usage

Where two, and no more, are involved, they may be older and younger: the older of the twins, by ten minutes, is Sam; the younger is Pamela. Where there are more than two, one may be the oldest or youngest: I have four siblings, of whom Jane is the oldest. See also former and latter

Phrases

any old

Any item of a specified type (used to show that no particular or special individual is in question)
any old room would have done
Example sentencesExamples
- Over the weekend however, I hope I was able to show that any old hack can get in a bus and go up the mountain for a few days.
- Just feeding it into any old shredder will do just fine.
- Acting is a refined craft that takes years to perfect and isn't something that can just be knocked out by any old Joe Schmoe.
- This wasn't just any old fad, though, but one which has dominated western eating habits for almost the last eight years.
- I decided last year that I wasn't going to go on applying for just any old office job just because I need the money.
- People are saying they don't want any old tat, they want to find quality and they want to find a bargain, that is special and unique.
- Don't be ridiculous, I scolded, you're just trying to think up any old excuse so you can get up from the computer.
- My teachers would buy any old excuse for why I couldn't be at school.
- It's so simple that any old sailor and any old journalist can litigate it in less than two minutes.
- But the press cannot seriously claim to be acting as public watchdog when it publishes any old rubbish.

as old as the hills

Of very long standing or very great age (often used in exaggerated statements).
Example sentencesExamples
- Now this debate might be and probably is as old as the hills - I honestly don't know, but I can at least guess.
- What's going on is not exceptional… it's a story as old as the hills and a lot older than the Internet.
- The story is as old as the hills, and there can be nothing compelling about such hackneyed themes.
- The schemes and lures used to motivate us to forward chain letters are as old as the hills, and we only annoy our friends by sending them on.
- Some of the reasons for this are as old as the hills.
- Feeling as old as the hills, I get my coat and leave.
- The idea of marriage is almost as old as the hills and was performed even in the most primitive of human societies and cultures.
- The story of men clinging to power long after they have outlived their uselessness is as old as the hills and just as obvious.
- To value the sound of a poem as much as its written meaning may seem like a new thing; in fact it's as old as the hills.
- Sure, this technique is as old as the hills, but it works.
Synonyms
out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated, anachronistic, ancient, antediluvian, superannuated, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, prehistoric

be old enough to be someone's father (or mother)

informal Of a much greater age than someone (especially used to suggest that a romantic or sexual relationship between the people concerned is inappropriate).
Example sentencesExamples
- Cat calmly turned around and looked at the trucker, he was old enough to be her father and big enough to crush her with one fist.
- You're darling, but you should be chatting up other 21-year-olds instead of someone who's old enough to be your mother.
- Good looking guys are allowed to ogle, but not ones old enough to be your father.
- As a young doctor he also finds himself falling for the same woman - who happens to be old enough to be his mother.
- I went on a ‘date’ with a man old enough to be my father.
- It was another of John's meaningless sexual encounters, and this one with a woman old enough to be his mother.
- I am not jealous, because she's old enough to be his mother.
- Only minutes later, she returns with her catch of the day: a man old enough to be her father, if not her father's father.
- She married a man old enough to be her father, then took him on a honeymoon too strenuous for his heart.
- I was terrified, I was talking to a man old enough to be my father and he wanted me to come visit him.

of old

1In or belonging to the past.
he was more reticent than of old
Example sentencesExamples
- After this year, the tatty old displays of old just won't be good enough.
- The threat is that the multicultural divisions of old become battle lines.
- Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats were behaving more like the Labour Party of old.
- They played some great football and looked like the team of old that was back to themselves.
- As the second half proceeded Tyrone players started to play with the flare and skill of old.
- Then there was Sonia, from the word go it was obvious she was not the Sonia of old, yet she gave it a go.
- I look through the squad and don't see the quality of old, in particular when I look at their attack.
- He bulled forward like the heavyweight boxer of old, scoring nine times in eight climactic games.
- In days of old, High Sheriffs had the authority to raise an army and even order executions of convicts.
- Every Tuesday night, people ramble in for the music and chat and to see the cottage as in days of old.
Synonyms
bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest
2Starting long ago; for a long time.
they knew him of old

the old days

A period in the past, often seen as significantly different from the present, especially noticeably better or worse.
it was easier in the old days
we are less confident than in the good old days
the bad old days of incoherence and irresponsibility
Example sentencesExamples
- In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
- She had a good recall of the old days and enjoyed sharing those memories with friends.
- It wasn't like this in the old days: they cared so much about the art they had riots and everything.
- In the bad old days, some companies were little more than legalised charlatans.
- In the old days, he explains, they learned gardening from the elders of their tribe.
- Molly had some great memories of the old days to recall and share with family and friends.
- Harriet recalls the good old days when they gave you the plot three times in the half-hour episode.
- Let's try to enjoy today more and maybe we will miss the good old days less.
- In the old days, only the aged could afford the trip; now the affluent young want a taste, too.
- It's like small town hospitals used to be back in the old days, modest, but complete and perfect.

any old way

In no particular order.
they've dropped things just any old way
Synonyms
in disorder, in a muddle, in a jumble, in disarray, in a disorganized manner, untidily, haphazardly, indiscriminately, in a mess, in confusion, in a heap, anyhow, any old how, pell-mell, topsy-turvy

Origin

Old 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’.

单词	old
释义	Definition of old in English: old adjectiveoldest, older əʊldoʊld 1Having lived for a long time; no longer young. the old man lay propped up on cushions See also elder, eldest Example sentencesExamples A few years ago I bumped into some old people at a party who actually went to the show, and they raved about it. Crowds young and old lined the streets to clap and cheer the parade, led by brass brands, on their way to Albert Square. Although most likely in his thirties, the man had features that looked old beyond his years. Today she said she wanted to get everyone, young and old, involved in the community's regeneration. Carers for old people have been told to stop helping with shopping, cooking and cleaning as a council tries to cut costs. I turned to see the same old lady who had glared at me in the store. The setting for the film is a beautiful temple on a secluded lake where an old monk and his young charge live. Walkers young and old turned out in their droves at Hollingworth Lake at the weekend to help raise asthma awareness. He looked too old to be in high school; I assumed he was in college. Now we want all residents, young and old, to select a project in their neighbourhood and make a local improvement. There were old people coming to her premises by car who were not able to park outside her shop because of the taxi ranks. We look forward to meeting all our supporters young and old there that night. Chopsticks are clean and efficient and can be used by everyone from children to old people. I have taken very old people to the local doctor to have their age estimated. The survey also found that many single old people choose cohabitation instead of marriage. The majority of those left behind are too young, old or sick to travel far. The young virile fox is faster and will outrun the hounds, while the old fox past its prime will fall. I don't know how I'd get out if it wasn't for people like yourself that really care for old people like me. An old priest and a young one sat side by side on the ground with a book. Then we were walking along a path in a field, past some old trees, over their roots. Synonyms elderly, mature, aged, older, senior, advanced in years, up in years, getting on in one's dotage, long in the tooth, grey, grey-haired, grey-bearded, grizzled, hoary past one's prime, not as young as one was, ancient, decrepit, doddering, doddery, not long for this world, ripe, senescent, senile, superannuated, venerable, septuagenarian, octogenarian, nonagenarian, centenarian informal past it, over the hill, no spring chicken rare longevous 1.1 Made or built long ago. the old quarter of the town Example sentencesExamples Parc du Chateau lies beyond the old town and rises so steeply uphill that there is a lift which will take you to the top. The area up by the old Japanese quarter had a lot of places I discovered that seemed pretty unchanged to me. It was stated that the bell was a very old one and had belonged to the late Mr. Churchley's grandfather. The new gravel road has been built parallel to the old tarmac Gun Park Road One place I used to deliver the papers to in the wintry darkness was in the big old cemetery out beyond the edge of town. The centre is in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter of this handsome old city. He wanders past the old city gate, marooned by itself on an island in the traffic. It's built out of an old palace which has some of the most beautiful Buddhist art I've ever seen. Although it is quite a steep hill up to the old quarter once there the land levels out and it is very pleasant to walk around. She was a beautiful old steam yacht belonging originally to the Guinness family. Along the rural lanes beyond Arambol, old farmhouses are enclosed in latticed palm shade. A team of four heavily built labourers had been contracted to demolish the old building to make way for a new office block. Hong got out of the taxi, and walked past a couple old warehouses as the cab sped away. Explore the Lowther Hills or wander along lower-level paths, past the old lead mine workings. The old quarter is also worth a stroll around, with some nice cafes in the Naranjas square. Please don't repeat the mistakes made in the past, because old buildings can be made part of the future. Hidden in a narrow alley of the old quarter of Nice, one discovered it by chance or word-of-mouth. The bottom line is the original house was old and it was time to replace it. Faint remains of a Venetian fort lie crumbling on the hill above the old quarter. In the past, the old surface was dug up with ear-splitting pneumatic drills and dumped at landfill sites. Synonyms historic, antiquated dilapidated, broken-down, run down, tumbledown, ramshackle, decaying, crumbling, disintegrating 1.2 Possessed or used for a long time. he gave his old clothes away Example sentencesExamples Apparently, there was concern about some old papers now in my possession and she was going to want to check them. It was one of those houses where the only things in the attic were old toys, clothes, and boxes. She got into her old nightgown and hung her wet clothes in the sunlight of her room. I see a total mess and my room is a really a pile of clothes and old toys. His prized possession was an old army greatcoat that reached almost down to his ankles. I wear moonboots from the boutique; a hut where you drop off old clothes and pick up whatever you need. People are urged to take along old toys and clothing to donate to the needy and candles and carols sheets are on sale. All of a sudden, I was back in my old clothes with some of my old things, hanging out with friends in the way I used to do. Imagine that your garage is filled chock-a-block with old furniture and other kinds of junk. There's not much of a market for old dictionaries with half the pages missing. Some have been offering old clothes but these have been rejected by most charities. Why everyone seems to find it a necessity to carry around old pictures is beyond me. A number of houses have been given a box to collect glass, cans and old clothes To take part, all you need to do is turn up in warm, old clothes, with sensible sturdy shoes. All artwork created by the kids can be taken home that day and children are advised to wear old clothes. You should bring old, warm waterproof clothes, sturdy boots and a packed lunch. Her clothes were battered, her face bruised and her boots old, but she held herself proudly. He pulled the object up and saw it was an old red wool bag and filled with clothes of rich material. Some have been offering old clothes, but these offers have been rejected by most charities. Do the donors who feed money and old possessions in at one end of the pipeline have any ideas where it leads? Synonyms worn, worn out, shabby, threadbare, holey, torn, frayed, patched, tattered, moth-eaten, ragged, yellowed old-fashioned, out of date, outmoded cast-off, hand-me-down French démodé informal tatty antique, veteran, vintage 1.3US informal Boring or tiresome, especially as a result of repetition or overfamiliarity. I wish she'd shut up—it's getting old Example sentencesExamples For those who know Stan, you've heard many of these stories before - but surprisingly they never get old. The Soderbergh-interviewing-Soderbergh stunt was a clever idea, but it gets old in a hurry. If you ate filet mignon every day, it would get old. It's the yelling part that gets old pretty fast, as it constitutes just about every line that comes out of Wilder's mouth. Plus, all of the self-deprecating, angst-riddled lines that Allen writes for himself (or his stand-in) have gotten a little old over the years. The action is hackneyed - the slo-mo martial arts stuff was neat the first time, but it was already getting old by the time it was re-used in The Matrix Reloaded. Despite pinching from everything from silent movies to CSI, the ring scenes get old fast, mostly because they hold no surprises. After 17 years of working with them, that group as a whole got real old. As played by Mercedes Cechetto, Sabine has an undeniable brashness, but her adventures feel scripted rather than natural and her sullen pout gets old very fast. He decides to cool off at the Riverbend Apartments, a swinging singles paradise outside Atlanta, a Pleasure Island for adults, but even that gets old. Does the "nerd" thing ever get old? Also, his obsession with time and punctuality does get old after a while, at times threatening to turn the character into a one-trick pony. The studios keep making this genre of film, and people still go and see them, but they're getting old fast. Boxing movies never get old. The premise would have had much more to work with as a drama than as a comedy; there are only so many gay jokes you can do before they get old and they alone cannot carry the film. It gets old very quickly seeing person after person heap buttery praise on everyone and everything associated with the production. There are a few humorous moments among the outtakes, though otherwise they get old pretty quickly. Season three has degenerated to a point where they are just trying to break any taboo they can, and it's getting a little old. The acting, singing and music were great, but the quirky comedy got a little old for me in this one. 1.4 Having the characteristics or showing the signs of age. he complained of being old beyond his years Example sentencesExamples The strings are so old they sound like dusty clothes lines that are grossly out of tune. He is no long the hard hitting slugger with a swing that could shake a stadium, but he still has a little bit of magic in his old bones. She stared at the patch of old wallpaper: huge pink and red roses, gaudy, sentimental. 2attributive Belonging to the past; former. valuation under the old rating system was inexact Example sentencesExamples Today's feelings were sparked by me walking past my old primary school yesterday for the first time in ages. National is being led to the sad, old rhetoric of the past; it cannot help itself. An attempt by the Kazakh authorities to privatise the old system of collective farming failed. Well, regional leagues were tried in the past with the old Division Three North and Division Three South. Parker smiled and started to walk over to Jamie as she walked past him to her old seat in the corner. The agriculture crisis has destroyed the old barter system he had with his regular clients. Nothing is more damaging to status in the group than using old slang. One of its campaigns is an attack on asylum seekers, which recycles a old leaflet used in past BNP campaigns. This road takes you past the old whaling station that is to be converted to a visitors centre at some point. Today we face new challenges that simply can't be answered in the old language of race relations. In many respects his plays, like his personal life, belonged to the old regime. To get there, you walk past the old cricket pavilion, now the province of the Scouts. The Doctor would be able to go back to Gallifrey and see all his old mates and new people that didn't used to exist in his Universe. By tradition, remakes of old arcade games are rubbish, but Midway seem to have missed the ruling. Some quarters in Pakistan continue to sustain the old notion of two-nation theory. Fini's party has its roots in the fascist organisation of the past and includes many old fascists. Those that wish to revert to the old system of omnipotent sub-sovereigns also miss the point. I got to know a little bit about it, at least the old Berlin of the past, through Benjamin's eyes. Mr Jopson believes the old system the ambulance service used to operate ten years ago worked much better. In the Czech Republic, the old nobility is enjoying a new lease of life. Their defensive mentality is locked in the past and based on old glories. Synonyms bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest 2.1 Used to refer to a thing which has been replaced by something similar. we moved back into our old house Example sentencesExamples The sense was that these were books belonging to the old or new covenant, not that the books themselves were the covenants. Fred was sitting close by, working on replacing old laces with fresh ones on greenhide pack bags. It meant giving up her old name, all her possessions, shaving her head and wearing burgundy and yellow robes. Now Volvo has taken the concept even further with the launch of a stunning new V70 estate to replace the old model. Before the wedding the kitchen was renovated and an electric stove was put in to replace the old coal range. It now appears as if a new Railway bridge will be put in place to replace the old low bridge that was damaged recently. What could she do but move on, find a new life and new dreams? - the old one was beyond repair. But does this mean that you should throw out your old database and replace it with this one? The charity hopes to replace its old helicopter this year with a new, larger model and then work towards buying a second one. So there's a lot to unwind, to undo, if you are going to revert to the old spelling. But Southampton transport planners have said there are no plans to dig up the old ramps or replace them. Most people have had more than one job and it is easy to lose track of old employers and the pension schemes you may have paid into. We know that many old bridges are being replaced by modern bridges way too fast. That will mean he will miss the West Riding County Cup quarter-final against his old club on Wednesday. Yes, the bus will actually go past the old Supreme Court where the trials took place. The rationale for replacing the old buses remains slightly mysterious. The bridge replaces the old North Bridge which has now been closed except for light traffic and pedestrians. Friends say these views are what makes Sunderland such an interesting mix of old and new Cadbury values. And don't you hate it even more when you realise that they're referring to your old webspace? I did the Swatch Biker-X last year on Cullys old bike and made it to the quarters. The only setback was that I was unable to import the comments from the old system. Following discussions with the contractor, new brighter bollards will this week replace the old ones. Synonyms former, previous, ex-, one-time, sometime, erstwhile, once, then, lapsed formal quondam 2.2 Dating from far back; long-established or known. we greeted each other like old friends I get sick of the same old routine Example sentencesExamples At a certain point the old system is full of too many contradictions to sustain itself. These old songs belong to an era long gone, but the issues they address are still relevant today. They, on the other hand, were at their old game of sloppy passing and giving away possession. It was as comfortable as an old shoe, and it brought back old memories from the past. One could settle for the same old brand every time, but to get stuck in a fragrance rut is a cardinal sin. I rush over, and find that an old friend of mine is attending the casualty. On the dinner table the conversation turns to the characters in an old Western movie. The event is funded by old and new businesses in the Quarter, and the city council. What on earth possessed me to read through those old emails and instant message files? I belong to the old imperial class who want to put up roads and hospitals and make life easier for people. Jim, as he was popularly known, belonged to an old and highly respected family in the district. However, the name of the artist and date of some of the old works might be beyond identification. They have identified the need to extend the day, to keep cities alive beyond the old working hours. By recording all database changes, it also goes beyond simply archiving old messages. How many times do we need to see the same old arguments made and the same sources quoted? Can you weblog and not keep cropping up amongst the same old lists of sites? Sometimes the old order is beyond reform and simply has to go in order to make way for the new. Not to get you into another relationship, but to move yourself beyond the old patterns. These aren't the same old depressing allegations, no, this time the allegations are red hot! You can resolve the same old problem with a new approach and make a breakthrough. Synonyms hackneyed, hack, banal, trite, overused, overworked, cut and dried, tired, worn out, time-worn, stale, stereotyped, clichéd, platitudinous, unoriginal, derivative, unimaginative, commonplace, common, pedestrian, prosaic, run-of-the-mill, stock, conventional out of date, outdated, old-fashioned, outmoded, archaic, obsolete, defunct, extinct, antiquated, antediluvian, superannuated, hoary French passé informal old hat, out of the ark, corny, fuddy-duddy, played out, hacky time-honoured, old-time, long-established, age-old, long-standing, long-lived, enduring, lasting familiar, customary, conventional, established, ritual, ritualistic, habitual, set, fixed, routine, usual, wonted, historic, folk, old-world, ancestral 2.3 Denoting someone who formerly attended a specified school. an old Etonian Example sentencesExamples Maybe old Etonian James will bring his father round to seeing the value of theatre that is radical, critical, foul-mouthed and rude. Three Old Carthusians have won the Victoria Cross. George Bullough, a 6ft 5in old Harrovian, had become the company's principal shareholder on the death in 1891 of his father. 2.4 (of a form of a language) as used in former or earliest times. Example sentencesExamples There are 114 chapters in the Qur'an, which is written in the old Arabic dialect. They are given in the book in the form of old Irish writing, new Irish writing and English. This describes perfectly his career as a philologist and his passion for old languages. 3in combination Of a specified age. he was fourteetn years old a seven-month-old baby 3.1as noun, in combination A person or animal of the age specified. a nineteen-year-old 4informal attributive Used to express affection, familiarity, or contempt. good old Mum I didn't like playing with silly old dolls Example sentencesExamples I started using the good old notebook recently and all I have got is a list of random ideas that need sorting. No studio, thus far, has bankrolled a big production about good old association football. Those of us who take our cynicism neat had a good old chuckle about that. I rode him first at Punchestown in the autumn of 1999 and we've had a good old haul together. No one can throw a wrench into family values and the good old American dream quite like he can. There's a good old adage which really does work, If you want something doing well, do it yourself! Whether you're looking for a tactical boxing match or a good old slug-fest, Knockout Kings has it all. I remember when I read the book the first time and I read this one part and had a good old chuckle to myself. Those who yearn for the good old warehouse days are going to appreciate the jazzy, ambient vibe. Because having been voted in, you just know that they will be up to the same old tricks. So, for this event, I cooked from just regular vegetables and good old ingredients. Forty one per cent of people admit to being surface cleaners, never doing a good old clean. Here even the good old Scholl has acquired a sexy new heel and comes in the colours of the rainbow. To say that people get really drunk because of drinks promotions is a load of old tosh. I really fancy my guests having a right good old toast to my memory. They like remembering the good old times in the spacious room with furniture matching the topic. Is it time for a return to the good old values of Yorkshire thrift? Ah, I thought, that good old British tolerance and decency really warms your heart. Reshepu strongly felt the good old postboxes were being neglected and he chose them as his subject. We always lament how big parties have killed the good old one-to-one conversation. Get rid of the new-labour new-tory dictatorships and let's have good old democracy back again! Phrases any old Any item of a specified type (used to show that no particular individual is in question) any old room would have done Example sentencesExamples But the press cannot seriously claim to be acting as public watchdog when it publishes any old rubbish. Acting is a refined craft that takes years to perfect and isn't something that can just be knocked out by any old Joe Schmoe. Over the weekend however, I hope I was able to show that any old hack can get in a bus and go up the mountain for a few days. People are saying they don't want any old tat, they want to find quality and they want to find a bargain, that is special and unique. Just feeding it into any old shredder will do just fine. Don't be ridiculous, I scolded, you're just trying to think up any old excuse so you can get up from the computer. It's so simple that any old sailor and any old journalist can litigate it in less than two minutes. My teachers would buy any old excuse for why I couldn't be at school. I decided last year that I wasn't going to go on applying for just any old office job just because I need the money. This wasn't just any old fad, though, but one which has dominated western eating habits for almost the last eight years. any old how In no particular order. they've dropped things just any old how Example sentencesExamples They were owned animals and presumably valuable livestock that just did not happen any old how but were deliberately bought and raised by a farmer. Good, new architecture surely should be neighbourly, not just ‘creative interventions’, any old how. We'll do what is to be done and end this game any old how. They drew up ten artists she liked, made a list of what they know about Diana, and then joined up the two lists any old how. Everything's just plonked down any old how, without any coherent alphabetical system to guide you round. They were not chucking things away any old how, but instead made sure that each item carried the maximum message to the underworld. Synonyms in disorder, in a muddle, in a jumble, in disarray, in a disorganized manner, untidily, haphazardly, indiscriminately, in a mess, in confusion, in a heap, anyhow, any old how, pell-mell, topsy-turvy as old as the hills Very old (often used in exaggerated statements) the technology we're using is as old as the hills Example sentencesExamples Some of the reasons for this are as old as the hills. What's going on is not exceptional… it's a story as old as the hills and a lot older than the Internet. Feeling as old as the hills, I get my coat and leave. Sure, this technique is as old as the hills, but it works. The story of men clinging to power long after they have outlived their uselessness is as old as the hills and just as obvious. The idea of marriage is almost as old as the hills and was performed even in the most primitive of human societies and cultures. The schemes and lures used to motivate us to forward chain letters are as old as the hills, and we only annoy our friends by sending them on. The story is as old as the hills, and there can be nothing compelling about such hackneyed themes. To value the sound of a poem as much as its written meaning may seem like a new thing; in fact it's as old as the hills. Now this debate might be and probably is as old as the hills - I honestly don't know, but I can at least guess. Synonyms out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated, anachronistic, ancient, antediluvian, superannuated, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, prehistoric be old enough to be someone's father (or mother) informal Be much older than someone (used to suggest that a romantic or sexual relationship between the people concerned is inappropriate) he was furious with her for wasting herself on a man old enough to be her father Example sentencesExamples It was another of John's meaningless sexual encounters, and this one with a woman old enough to be his mother. Good looking guys are allowed to ogle, but not ones old enough to be your father. I am not jealous, because she's old enough to be his mother. You're darling, but you should be chatting up other 21-year-olds instead of someone who's old enough to be your mother. Cat calmly turned around and looked at the trucker, he was old enough to be her father and big enough to crush her with one fist. As a young doctor he also finds himself falling for the same woman - who happens to be old enough to be his mother. I was terrified, I was talking to a man old enough to be my father and he wanted me to come visit him. She married a man old enough to be her father, then took him on a honeymoon too strenuous for his heart. Only minutes later, she returns with her catch of the day: a man old enough to be her father, if not her father's father. I went on a ‘date’ with a man old enough to be my father. of old 1In or belonging to the past. he was more reticent than of old Example sentencesExamples As the second half proceeded Tyrone players started to play with the flare and skill of old. He bulled forward like the heavyweight boxer of old, scoring nine times in eight climactic games. The threat is that the multicultural divisions of old become battle lines. After this year, the tatty old displays of old just won't be good enough. Every Tuesday night, people ramble in for the music and chat and to see the cottage as in days of old. Then there was Sonia, from the word go it was obvious she was not the Sonia of old, yet she gave it a go. In days of old, High Sheriffs had the authority to raise an army and even order executions of convicts. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats were behaving more like the Labour Party of old. I look through the squad and don't see the quality of old, in particular when I look at their attack. They played some great football and looked like the team of old that was back to themselves. Synonyms bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest 2For a long time. they knew him of old the old days A period in the past, typically regarded as significantly better or worse than the present. it was easier in the old days we are less confident than in the good old days Example sentencesExamples In the bad old days, some companies were little more than legalised charlatans. It wasn't like this in the old days: they cared so much about the art they had riots and everything. Let's try to enjoy today more and maybe we will miss the good old days less. Harriet recalls the good old days when they gave you the plot three times in the half-hour episode. Molly had some great memories of the old days to recall and share with family and friends. In the old days, he explains, they learned gardening from the elders of their tribe. In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. She had a good recall of the old days and enjoyed sharing those memories with friends. It's like small town hospitals used to be back in the old days, modest, but complete and perfect. In the old days, only the aged could afford the trip; now the affluent young want a taste, too. the Old Firm informal (in Scotland) a name for Celtic and Rangers Football Clubs. as modifier an Old Firm match you can't put an old head on young shoulders proverb You can't expect a young person to have the wisdom or maturity associated with older people. Derivatives oldish adjective ˈəʊldɪʃˈoʊldɪʃ It's an oldish building, but it's nice, fairly weathertight, and fits my needs. Example sentencesExamples An oldish couple approached the crossing as I was aiming my camera. ‘Good afternoon,’ said an oldish man with a deep voice. You can see the Assistant website here, listen to some oldish but goodish demos here, and find out about the next gig here, too, when we know about it. In fact, he might even be considered on the oldish side, although no-one would dare tell him that to his face. oldness noun I just like the atmosphere inside churches, and the oldness of them. Example sentencesExamples I was thinking about oldness and how it shouldn't really be measured by physical age. At 103 years of age, though, Mr. Murray described him as frail by oldness. When she started to climb, each stair creaked with oldness. His opponents on the ultra-left demand we save our party from newness and demand a return to an oldness that never really existed anyway. Origin Old 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'. This word shares an ancient root with Latin alere ‘to nourish’, which links it with alimony. The old boy network providing mutual assistance (and often career advancement) among people from the same social and educational background goes back to the 1950s. Members of such a group might well refer to ideas of group loyalty and tradition in terms of the old school tie—values seen as associated with wearing the tie of a particular public school. The first writers to use this phrase were those astute social commentators Rudyard Kipling and George Orwell in the 1930s. An old wives' tale is a widely held traditional belief now thought to be unscientific or incorrect. This phrase, with its earlier variant an old wives' fable, has been part of the language since the 16th century. It is first found in William Tyndale's translation of the Bible, where the faithful are instructed to ‘cast away’ such stories. Some behaviour becomes inappropriate as you get older, and there is a risk for some of being considered a dirty old man. First recorded in the 1930s, the phrase was Harold Steptoe's familiar rebuke to his father in the TV comedy Steptoe and Son (1962–74). Rhymes behold, bold, cold, enfold, fold, foretold, gold, hold, mould (US mold), outsold, scold, self-controlled, sold, told, uncontrolled, undersold, unpolled, uphold, withhold, wold adj.1 phr. Definition of old in US English: old adjectiveoʊldōld 1Having lived for a long time; no longer young. the old man lay propped up on cushions See also elder, eldest Example sentencesExamples There were old people coming to her premises by car who were not able to park outside her shop because of the taxi ranks. I don't know how I'd get out if it wasn't for people like yourself that really care for old people like me. I turned to see the same old lady who had glared at me in the store. The survey also found that many single old people choose cohabitation instead of marriage. A few years ago I bumped into some old people at a party who actually went to the show, and they raved about it. Although most likely in his thirties, the man had features that looked old beyond his years. We look forward to meeting all our supporters young and old there that night. Chopsticks are clean and efficient and can be used by everyone from children to old people. The young virile fox is faster and will outrun the hounds, while the old fox past its prime will fall. Carers for old people have been told to stop helping with shopping, cooking and cleaning as a council tries to cut costs. I have taken very old people to the local doctor to have their age estimated. The majority of those left behind are too young, old or sick to travel far. He looked too old to be in high school; I assumed he was in college. The setting for the film is a beautiful temple on a secluded lake where an old monk and his young charge live. Walkers young and old turned out in their droves at Hollingworth Lake at the weekend to help raise asthma awareness. An old priest and a young one sat side by side on the ground with a book. Crowds young and old lined the streets to clap and cheer the parade, led by brass brands, on their way to Albert Square. Now we want all residents, young and old, to select a project in their neighbourhood and make a local improvement. Then we were walking along a path in a field, past some old trees, over their roots. Today she said she wanted to get everyone, young and old, involved in the community's regeneration. Synonyms elderly, mature, aged, older, senior, advanced in years, up in years, getting on 1.1 Made or built long ago. the old quarter of the town Example sentencesExamples He wanders past the old city gate, marooned by itself on an island in the traffic. Hidden in a narrow alley of the old quarter of Nice, one discovered it by chance or word-of-mouth. Along the rural lanes beyond Arambol, old farmhouses are enclosed in latticed palm shade. Although it is quite a steep hill up to the old quarter once there the land levels out and it is very pleasant to walk around. Explore the Lowther Hills or wander along lower-level paths, past the old lead mine workings. In the past, the old surface was dug up with ear-splitting pneumatic drills and dumped at landfill sites. Please don't repeat the mistakes made in the past, because old buildings can be made part of the future. The new gravel road has been built parallel to the old tarmac Gun Park Road It's built out of an old palace which has some of the most beautiful Buddhist art I've ever seen. The area up by the old Japanese quarter had a lot of places I discovered that seemed pretty unchanged to me. She was a beautiful old steam yacht belonging originally to the Guinness family. Hong got out of the taxi, and walked past a couple old warehouses as the cab sped away. The old quarter is also worth a stroll around, with some nice cafes in the Naranjas square. Parc du Chateau lies beyond the old town and rises so steeply uphill that there is a lift which will take you to the top. It was stated that the bell was a very old one and had belonged to the late Mr. Churchley's grandfather. The centre is in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter of this handsome old city. A team of four heavily built labourers had been contracted to demolish the old building to make way for a new office block. The bottom line is the original house was old and it was time to replace it. One place I used to deliver the papers to in the wintry darkness was in the big old cemetery out beyond the edge of town. Faint remains of a Venetian fort lie crumbling on the hill above the old quarter. Synonyms historic, antiquated 1.2 Possessed or used for a long time. he gave his old clothes away Example sentencesExamples To take part, all you need to do is turn up in warm, old clothes, with sensible sturdy shoes. Do the donors who feed money and old possessions in at one end of the pipeline have any ideas where it leads? I see a total mess and my room is a really a pile of clothes and old toys. All of a sudden, I was back in my old clothes with some of my old things, hanging out with friends in the way I used to do. A number of houses have been given a box to collect glass, cans and old clothes He pulled the object up and saw it was an old red wool bag and filled with clothes of rich material. All artwork created by the kids can be taken home that day and children are advised to wear old clothes. She got into her old nightgown and hung her wet clothes in the sunlight of her room. Why everyone seems to find it a necessity to carry around old pictures is beyond me. Apparently, there was concern about some old papers now in my possession and she was going to want to check them. You should bring old, warm waterproof clothes, sturdy boots and a packed lunch. It was one of those houses where the only things in the attic were old toys, clothes, and boxes. Imagine that your garage is filled chock-a-block with old furniture and other kinds of junk. Some have been offering old clothes but these have been rejected by most charities. There's not much of a market for old dictionaries with half the pages missing. His prized possession was an old army greatcoat that reached almost down to his ankles. I wear moonboots from the boutique; a hut where you drop off old clothes and pick up whatever you need. Some have been offering old clothes, but these offers have been rejected by most charities. Her clothes were battered, her face bruised and her boots old, but she held herself proudly. People are urged to take along old toys and clothing to donate to the needy and candles and carols sheets are on sale. Synonyms worn, worn out, shabby, threadbare, holey, torn, frayed, patched, tattered, moth-eaten, ragged, yellowed antique, veteran, vintage 1.3US informal Boring or tiresome, especially as a result of repetition or overfamiliarity. I wish she'd shut up—it's getting old Example sentencesExamples Boxing movies never get old. Plus, all of the self-deprecating, angst-riddled lines that Allen writes for himself (or his stand-in) have gotten a little old over the years. Despite pinching from everything from silent movies to CSI, the ring scenes get old fast, mostly because they hold no surprises. There are a few humorous moments among the outtakes, though otherwise they get old pretty quickly. It gets old very quickly seeing person after person heap buttery praise on everyone and everything associated with the production. If you ate filet mignon every day, it would get old. The Soderbergh-interviewing-Soderbergh stunt was a clever idea, but it gets old in a hurry. It's the yelling part that gets old pretty fast, as it constitutes just about every line that comes out of Wilder's mouth. The acting, singing and music were great, but the quirky comedy got a little old for me in this one. Also, his obsession with time and punctuality does get old after a while, at times threatening to turn the character into a one-trick pony. Season three has degenerated to a point where they are just trying to break any taboo they can, and it's getting a little old. The premise would have had much more to work with as a drama than as a comedy; there are only so many gay jokes you can do before they get old and they alone cannot carry the film. The studios keep making this genre of film, and people still go and see them, but they're getting old fast. Does the "nerd" thing ever get old? As played by Mercedes Cechetto, Sabine has an undeniable brashness, but her adventures feel scripted rather than natural and her sullen pout gets old very fast. He decides to cool off at the Riverbend Apartments, a swinging singles paradise outside Atlanta, a Pleasure Island for adults, but even that gets old. After 17 years of working with them, that group as a whole got real old. The action is hackneyed - the slo-mo martial arts stuff was neat the first time, but it was already getting old by the time it was re-used in The Matrix Reloaded. For those who know Stan, you've heard many of these stories before - but surprisingly they never get old. 1.4 Having the characteristics or showing the signs of age. he complained of being old beyond his years Example sentencesExamples He is no long the hard hitting slugger with a swing that could shake a stadium, but he still has a little bit of magic in his old bones. The strings are so old they sound like dusty clothes lines that are grossly out of tune. She stared at the patch of old wallpaper: huge pink and red roses, gaudy, sentimental. 2attributive Belonging only or chiefly to the past; former or previous. valuation under the old rating system was inexact Example sentencesExamples One of its campaigns is an attack on asylum seekers, which recycles a old leaflet used in past BNP campaigns. Today we face new challenges that simply can't be answered in the old language of race relations. In the Czech Republic, the old nobility is enjoying a new lease of life. Nothing is more damaging to status in the group than using old slang. Those that wish to revert to the old system of omnipotent sub-sovereigns also miss the point. The Doctor would be able to go back to Gallifrey and see all his old mates and new people that didn't used to exist in his Universe. I got to know a little bit about it, at least the old Berlin of the past, through Benjamin's eyes. By tradition, remakes of old arcade games are rubbish, but Midway seem to have missed the ruling. Well, regional leagues were tried in the past with the old Division Three North and Division Three South. The agriculture crisis has destroyed the old barter system he had with his regular clients. To get there, you walk past the old cricket pavilion, now the province of the Scouts. In many respects his plays, like his personal life, belonged to the old regime. Today's feelings were sparked by me walking past my old primary school yesterday for the first time in ages. An attempt by the Kazakh authorities to privatise the old system of collective farming failed. Mr Jopson believes the old system the ambulance service used to operate ten years ago worked much better. National is being led to the sad, old rhetoric of the past; it cannot help itself. Some quarters in Pakistan continue to sustain the old notion of two-nation theory. Fini's party has its roots in the fascist organisation of the past and includes many old fascists. Parker smiled and started to walk over to Jamie as she walked past him to her old seat in the corner. Their defensive mentality is locked in the past and based on old glories. This road takes you past the old whaling station that is to be converted to a visitors centre at some point. Synonyms bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest 2.1 Used to refer to the first of two or more similar things. I was going to try to get my old job back Example sentencesExamples The rationale for replacing the old buses remains slightly mysterious. The sense was that these were books belonging to the old or new covenant, not that the books themselves were the covenants. And don't you hate it even more when you realise that they're referring to your old webspace? The charity hopes to replace its old helicopter this year with a new, larger model and then work towards buying a second one. Fred was sitting close by, working on replacing old laces with fresh ones on greenhide pack bags. Friends say these views are what makes Sunderland such an interesting mix of old and new Cadbury values. It now appears as if a new Railway bridge will be put in place to replace the old low bridge that was damaged recently. So there's a lot to unwind, to undo, if you are going to revert to the old spelling. Following discussions with the contractor, new brighter bollards will this week replace the old ones. I did the Swatch Biker-X last year on Cullys old bike and made it to the quarters. The bridge replaces the old North Bridge which has now been closed except for light traffic and pedestrians. Most people have had more than one job and it is easy to lose track of old employers and the pension schemes you may have paid into. But Southampton transport planners have said there are no plans to dig up the old ramps or replace them. That will mean he will miss the West Riding County Cup quarter-final against his old club on Wednesday. What could she do but move on, find a new life and new dreams? - the old one was beyond repair. Now Volvo has taken the concept even further with the launch of a stunning new V70 estate to replace the old model. Yes, the bus will actually go past the old Supreme Court where the trials took place. It meant giving up her old name, all her possessions, shaving her head and wearing burgundy and yellow robes. But does this mean that you should throw out your old database and replace it with this one? Before the wedding the kitchen was renovated and an electric stove was put in to replace the old coal range. The only setback was that I was unable to import the comments from the old system. We know that many old bridges are being replaced by modern bridges way too fast. Synonyms former, previous, ex-, one-time, sometime, erstwhile, once, then, lapsed 2.2 Dating from far back; long-established or known. we greet each other like old friends I get sick of the same old routine Example sentencesExamples Jim, as he was popularly known, belonged to an old and highly respected family in the district. They have identified the need to extend the day, to keep cities alive beyond the old working hours. How many times do we need to see the same old arguments made and the same sources quoted? They, on the other hand, were at their old game of sloppy passing and giving away possession. These old songs belong to an era long gone, but the issues they address are still relevant today. Not to get you into another relationship, but to move yourself beyond the old patterns. What on earth possessed me to read through those old emails and instant message files? One could settle for the same old brand every time, but to get stuck in a fragrance rut is a cardinal sin. Can you weblog and not keep cropping up amongst the same old lists of sites? On the dinner table the conversation turns to the characters in an old Western movie. It was as comfortable as an old shoe, and it brought back old memories from the past. Sometimes the old order is beyond reform and simply has to go in order to make way for the new. The event is funded by old and new businesses in the Quarter, and the city council. However, the name of the artist and date of some of the old works might be beyond identification. By recording all database changes, it also goes beyond simply archiving old messages. You can resolve the same old problem with a new approach and make a breakthrough. I belong to the old imperial class who want to put up roads and hospitals and make life easier for people. These aren't the same old depressing allegations, no, this time the allegations are red hot! At a certain point the old system is full of too many contradictions to sustain itself. I rush over, and find that an old friend of mine is attending the casualty. Synonyms hackneyed, hack, banal, trite, overused, overworked, cut and dried, tired, worn out, time-worn, stale, stereotyped, clichéd, platitudinous, unoriginal, derivative, unimaginative, commonplace, common, pedestrian, prosaic, run-of-the-mill, stock, conventional time-honoured, old-time, long-established, age-old, long-standing, long-lived, enduring, lasting 2.3 (of a form of a language) as used in former or earliest times. Example sentencesExamples They are given in the book in the form of old Irish writing, new Irish writing and English. This describes perfectly his career as a philologist and his passion for old languages. There are 114 chapters in the Qur'an, which is written in the old Arabic dialect. 3in combination Of a specified age. he was fourteetn years old a seven-month-old baby 3.1as noun, in combination A person or animal of the age specified. a nineteen-year-old 4informal attributive Used to express affection, familiarity, or contempt. it gets the old adrenaline going “Good old Mom,” she said Example sentencesExamples We always lament how big parties have killed the good old one-to-one conversation. Those who yearn for the good old warehouse days are going to appreciate the jazzy, ambient vibe. I remember when I read the book the first time and I read this one part and had a good old chuckle to myself. Get rid of the new-labour new-tory dictatorships and let's have good old democracy back again! So, for this event, I cooked from just regular vegetables and good old ingredients. I rode him first at Punchestown in the autumn of 1999 and we've had a good old haul together. Here even the good old Scholl has acquired a sexy new heel and comes in the colours of the rainbow. They like remembering the good old times in the spacious room with furniture matching the topic. No studio, thus far, has bankrolled a big production about good old association football. Is it time for a return to the good old values of Yorkshire thrift? Ah, I thought, that good old British tolerance and decency really warms your heart. No one can throw a wrench into family values and the good old American dream quite like he can. I started using the good old notebook recently and all I have got is a list of random ideas that need sorting. I really fancy my guests having a right good old toast to my memory. Whether you're looking for a tactical boxing match or a good old slug-fest, Knockout Kings has it all. There's a good old adage which really does work, If you want something doing well, do it yourself! Forty one per cent of people admit to being surface cleaners, never doing a good old clean. Because having been voted in, you just know that they will be up to the same old tricks. Reshepu strongly felt the good old postboxes were being neglected and he chose them as his subject. To say that people get really drunk because of drinks promotions is a load of old tosh. Those of us who take our cynicism neat had a good old chuckle about that. Usage Where two, and no more, are involved, they may be older and younger: the older of the twins, by ten minutes, is Sam; the younger is Pamela. Where there are more than two, one may be the oldest or youngest: I have four siblings, of whom Jane is the oldest. See also former and latter Phrases any old Any item of a specified type (used to show that no particular or special individual is in question) any old room would have done Example sentencesExamples Over the weekend however, I hope I was able to show that any old hack can get in a bus and go up the mountain for a few days. Just feeding it into any old shredder will do just fine. Acting is a refined craft that takes years to perfect and isn't something that can just be knocked out by any old Joe Schmoe. This wasn't just any old fad, though, but one which has dominated western eating habits for almost the last eight years. I decided last year that I wasn't going to go on applying for just any old office job just because I need the money. People are saying they don't want any old tat, they want to find quality and they want to find a bargain, that is special and unique. Don't be ridiculous, I scolded, you're just trying to think up any old excuse so you can get up from the computer. My teachers would buy any old excuse for why I couldn't be at school. It's so simple that any old sailor and any old journalist can litigate it in less than two minutes. But the press cannot seriously claim to be acting as public watchdog when it publishes any old rubbish. as old as the hills Of very long standing or very great age (often used in exaggerated statements). Example sentencesExamples Now this debate might be and probably is as old as the hills - I honestly don't know, but I can at least guess. What's going on is not exceptional… it's a story as old as the hills and a lot older than the Internet. The story is as old as the hills, and there can be nothing compelling about such hackneyed themes. The schemes and lures used to motivate us to forward chain letters are as old as the hills, and we only annoy our friends by sending them on. Some of the reasons for this are as old as the hills. Feeling as old as the hills, I get my coat and leave. The idea of marriage is almost as old as the hills and was performed even in the most primitive of human societies and cultures. The story of men clinging to power long after they have outlived their uselessness is as old as the hills and just as obvious. To value the sound of a poem as much as its written meaning may seem like a new thing; in fact it's as old as the hills. Sure, this technique is as old as the hills, but it works. Synonyms out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated, anachronistic, ancient, antediluvian, superannuated, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, prehistoric be old enough to be someone's father (or mother) informal Of a much greater age than someone (especially used to suggest that a romantic or sexual relationship between the people concerned is inappropriate). Example sentencesExamples Cat calmly turned around and looked at the trucker, he was old enough to be her father and big enough to crush her with one fist. You're darling, but you should be chatting up other 21-year-olds instead of someone who's old enough to be your mother. Good looking guys are allowed to ogle, but not ones old enough to be your father. As a young doctor he also finds himself falling for the same woman - who happens to be old enough to be his mother. I went on a ‘date’ with a man old enough to be my father. It was another of John's meaningless sexual encounters, and this one with a woman old enough to be his mother. I am not jealous, because she's old enough to be his mother. Only minutes later, she returns with her catch of the day: a man old enough to be her father, if not her father's father. She married a man old enough to be her father, then took him on a honeymoon too strenuous for his heart. I was terrified, I was talking to a man old enough to be my father and he wanted me to come visit him. of old 1In or belonging to the past. he was more reticent than of old Example sentencesExamples After this year, the tatty old displays of old just won't be good enough. The threat is that the multicultural divisions of old become battle lines. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats were behaving more like the Labour Party of old. They played some great football and looked like the team of old that was back to themselves. As the second half proceeded Tyrone players started to play with the flare and skill of old. Then there was Sonia, from the word go it was obvious she was not the Sonia of old, yet she gave it a go. I look through the squad and don't see the quality of old, in particular when I look at their attack. He bulled forward like the heavyweight boxer of old, scoring nine times in eight climactic games. In days of old, High Sheriffs had the authority to raise an army and even order executions of convicts. Every Tuesday night, people ramble in for the music and chat and to see the cottage as in days of old. Synonyms bygone, past, former, olden, of old, remote, previous, early, earlier, earliest 2Starting long ago; for a long time. they knew him of old the old days A period in the past, often seen as significantly different from the present, especially noticeably better or worse. it was easier in the old days we are less confident than in the good old days the bad old days of incoherence and irresponsibility Example sentencesExamples In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. She had a good recall of the old days and enjoyed sharing those memories with friends. It wasn't like this in the old days: they cared so much about the art they had riots and everything. In the bad old days, some companies were little more than legalised charlatans. In the old days, he explains, they learned gardening from the elders of their tribe. Molly had some great memories of the old days to recall and share with family and friends. Harriet recalls the good old days when they gave you the plot three times in the half-hour episode. Let's try to enjoy today more and maybe we will miss the good old days less. In the old days, only the aged could afford the trip; now the affluent young want a taste, too. It's like small town hospitals used to be back in the old days, modest, but complete and perfect. any old way In no particular order. they've dropped things just any old way Synonyms in disorder, in a muddle, in a jumble, in disarray, in a disorganized manner, untidily, haphazardly, indiscriminately, in a mess, in confusion, in a heap, anyhow, any old how, pell-mell, topsy-turvy Origin Old 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’. adj.1 phr.
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