| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024eld•er1 /ˈɛldɚ/USA pronunciation adj. a compar. of old with eldest as superl. [before a noun; used only of people]- of greater age;
older:my elder sister.
n. [countable] - an older person: a boy who respects his elders.
- Sociologyan older, influential member of a community.
- Religion(in certain Protestant churches) a person who is not a member of the clergy and is a governing officer, often assisting in services.
elder is both an adjective and a noun, and elderly is both an adjective and a noun:Listen to your elders. She is my elder sister. Elderly gentlemen met us at the door. These seats are all reserved for the elderly. el•der2 /ˈɛldɚ/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- Plant Biologya shrub or tree having divided leaves and clusters of small berries.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024eld•er1 (el′dər),USA pronunciation adj. [a compar. of] old with eldest as superl.- of greater age;
older. - of higher rank;
senior:an elder officer. - of or pertaining to former times;
earlier:Much that was forbidden by elder custom is accepted today.
n. - a person who is older or higher in rank than oneself.
- an aged person.
- Anthropology, Sociologyan influential member of a tribe or community, often a chief or ruler;
a superior. - Religiona presbyter.
- Religion(in certain Protestant churches) a lay member who is a governing officer, often assisting the pastor in services.
- Religion[Mormon Ch.]a member of the Melchizedek priesthood.
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English eldra, comparative of eald old
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See older.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged younger.
el•der2 (el′dər),USA pronunciation n. - Plant Biologyany tree or shrub belonging to the genus Sambucus, of the honeysuckle family, having pinnate leaves, clusters of white flowers, and red or black, berrylike fruit.
- bef. 900; Middle English eldre, elrene, ellerne, Old English ellærn; cognate with Middle Low German ellern
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: elder /ˈɛldə/ adj - born earlier; senior
Compare older - (in piquet and similar card games) denoting or relating to the nondealer (the elder hand), who has certain advantages in the play
- archaic prior in rank, position, or office
- of a previous time; former
n - an older person; one's senior
- a senior member of a tribe who has influence or authority
- (in certain Protestant Churches) a lay office having teaching, pastoral, or administrative functions
- another word for presbyter
Etymology: Old English eldra, comparative of eald old; related to Old Norse ellri, Old High German altiro, Gothic althizaˈelderˌship n USAGE
The word elder is being increasingly used, as a more respectful way of referring to older people: elder care, elder abuse elder /ˈɛldə/ n - Also called: elderberry any of various caprifoliaceous shrubs or small trees of the genus Sambucus, having clusters of small white flowers and red, purple, or black berry-like fruits
Etymology: Old English ellern; related to Old Norse elrir, Old High German erlīn, Old Slavonic jelǐcha, Latin alnus old /oʊld/USA pronunciation adj., old•er, old•est or eld•er, eld•est, n. adj. - having lived or existed for a long time;
advanced in years:an old man; an old building. - of or relating to the later part of life or existence:[before a noun]old age.
- having lived or existed for a certain time:[after a number or phrase indicating amount of time]a six-month-old company.
- of long standing:[before a noun]an old friend.
- long known or in use:[before a noun]the same old excuses.
- having been replaced by something newer or more recent:[before a noun]We sold our old house.
- former:[before a noun]tried to get my old job back.
- belonging to the past:[before a noun]the good old days.
- of or started at an earlier period or date:old maps.
- having been in existence since the distant past:an old family.
- prehistoric;
ancient:old civilizations. - sensible, mature, or wise:old beyond her years.
- Informal Terms(used to emphasize feeling or emotion toward, or an attitude about, the following noun):We had a high old time.
n. - the old, [plural* used with a plural verb] old persons thought of as a group.
- a person or animal of a specified age or age group:[countable* used after a word or phrase indicating amount of time]a program for six-year-olds.
- earlier times:[uncountable]in days of old.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024old (ōld),USA pronunciation adj., old•er, old•est or eld•er, eld•est, n. adj. - far advanced in the years of one's or its life:an old man;an old horse;an old tree.
- of or pertaining to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing:old age.
- as if or appearing to be far advanced in years:Worry had made him old.
- having lived or existed for a specified time:a man 30 years old; a century-old organization.
- having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or things:Jim is our oldest boy.
- having been aged for a specified time:This whiskey is eight years old.
- having been aged for a comparatively long time:old brandy.
- long known or in use:the same old excuse.
- overfamiliar to the point of tedium:That joke gets old fast.
- belonging to the past:the good old days.
- having been in existence since the distant past:a fine old family.
- no longer in general use:This typewriter is an old model.
- acquired, made, or in use by one prior to the acquisition, making, or use of something more recent:When the new house was built, we sold the old one.
- of, pertaining to, or originating at an earlier period or date:old maps.
- prehistoric;
ancient:There may have been an old land bridge between Asia and Alaska. - Linguistics(cap.) (of a language) in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records:Old Czech.
- experienced:He's an old hand at welding.
- of long standing;
having been such for a comparatively long time:an old and trusted employee. - (of colors) dull, faded, or subdued:old rose.
- deteriorated through age or long use;
worn, decayed, or dilapidated:old clothes. - [Physical Geog.](of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.
- sedate, sensible, mature, or wise:That child seems old beyond his years.
- (used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization):good old Bob; that dirty old jalopy.
- Informal Terms(used as an intensive) great;
uncommon:a high old time. - former;
having been so formerly:a dinner for his old students.
n. - (used with a pl. v.) old persons collectively (usually prec. by the):appropriations to care for the old.
- a person or animal of a specified age or age group (used in combination):a class for six-year-olds; a horse race for three-year-olds.
- old or former time, often time long past:days of old.
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English eald, ald; cognate with Dutch old, German alt, Gothic altheis; akin to Old Norse ala to nourish
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Old, aged, elderly all mean well along in years. An old person has lived long, nearly to the end of the usual period of life. An aged person is very far advanced in years, and is usually afflicted with the infirmities of age. An elderly person is somewhat old, but usually has the mellowness, satisfactions, and joys of age ahead.
- 9.See corresponding entry in Unabridged olden, early.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged young.
old, + adj. - overfamiliar to the point of tedium:Some jokes get old fast.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: Elder /ˈɛldə/ n - Mark Philip. born 1947, British conductor; musical director of the English National Opera (1979–93) and of the Hallé Orchestra from 2000
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: old /əʊld/ adj - having lived or existed for a relatively long time: an old man, an old tradition, old wine, an old house, an old country
- of or relating to advanced years or a long life: old age
- (as collective noun; preceded by the): the old
- old and young ⇒ people of all ages
- decrepit or senile
- worn with age or use: old clothes, an old car
- (postpositive) having lived or existed for a specified period: a child who is six years old
- (in combination): a six-year-old child
- (as noun in combination): a six-year-old
- (capital when part of a name or title) earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name: the old edition, the Old Testament, old Norwich
- (capital when part of a name) designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written: Old English
- (prenominal) familiar through long acquaintance or repetition: an old friend, an old excuse
- practised; hardened: old in cunning
- (prenominal) often preceded by good: cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiarity: good old George
- informal (with any of several nouns) used as a familiar form of address to a person: old thing, old bean, old stick, old fellow
- skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)
- out-of-date; unfashionable
- remote or distant in origin or time of origin: an old culture
- (prenominal) former; previous: my old house was small
- (prenominal) established for a relatively long time: an old member
- (in combination): old-established
- sensible, wise, or mature: old beyond one's years
- (intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)
- (of crops) harvested late
- good old days ⇒ an earlier period of time regarded as better than the present
- little old ⇒ informal indicating affection, esp humorous affection: my little old wife
- the old one, the old gentleman ⇒ informal
a jocular name for Satan
n - an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old): in days of old
Etymology: Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus highˈoldish adj ˈoldness n |