Someone who is old has lived for many years and is no longer young.
...a white-haired old man.
He was considered too old for the job. [+ for]
Synonyms: aged, elderly, ancient, getting on More Synonyms of old
The old are people who are old. This use could cause offence.
...providing a caring response for the needs of the old.
2. adjective [oft asADJas]
You use old to talk about how many days, weeks, months, or years someone or something has lived or existed.
He was abandoned by his father when he was three months old.
The paintings in the chapel were perhaps a thousand years old.
How old are you now?
These weren't young kids, they were as old as I was.
Bill was six years older than David.
3. adjective
Something that is old has existed for a long time.
She loved the big old house.
These books must be very old.
...an old Arab proverb.
...her old habit of criticizing his speech.
4. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Something that is old is no longer in good condition because of its age or because it has been used a lot.
He took a bunch of keys from the pocket of his old corduroy trousers.
...an old toothbrush.
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use old to refer to something that is no longer used, that no longer exists, or that has been replaced by something else.
The old road had disappeared under grass and heather.
Although the old secret police have been abolished, the military police still exist.
...avoiding the corruption and ineffectiveness of the old parties.
6. adjective
You use old to refer to something that used to belong to you, or to a person or thing that usedto have a particular role in your life.
I'll make up the bed in your old room.
I still have affection for my old school.
Mark was heartbroken when Jane returned to her old boyfriend.
Synonyms: former, earlier, past, previous More Synonyms of old
7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
An old friend, enemy, or rival is someone who has been your friend, enemy, or rival for a long time.
I called my old friend John Horner.
Mr Brownson, I assure you King's an old enemy of mine.
The French and English are old rivals.
8. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You can use old to express affection when talking to or about someone you know.
[informal, feelings]
Are you all right, old chap?
Good old Bergen would do him the favor.
9.
See any old
10.
See in the old days
11.
See the good old days
12.
See of old
13. you can't teach an old dog new tricks
14. good old
15. of the old school
16. to settle an old score
17. up to one's old tricks
More Synonyms of old
old in British English
(əʊld)
adjective
1.
having lived or existed for a relatively long time
an old man
an old tradition
old wine
an old house
an old country
2.
a.
of or relating to advanced years or a long life
old age
b.
(as collective noun; preceded by the)
the old
c. old and young
3.
decrepit or senile
4.
worn with age or use
old clothes
an old car
5.
a. (postpositive)
having lived or existed for a specified period
a child who is six years old
b.
(in combination)
a six-year-old child
c.
(as noun in combination)
a six-year-old
6. (capital when part of a name or title)
earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name
the old edition
the Old Testament
old Norwich
7. (capital when part of a name)
designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written
Old English
8. (prenominal)
familiar through long acquaintance or repetition
an old friend
an old excuse
9.
practised; hardened
old in cunning
10. (prenominal; often preceded bygood)
cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiarity
good old George
11. informal(with any of several nouns)
used as a familiar form of address to a person
old thing
old bean
old stick
old fellow
12.
skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)
13.
out-of-date; unfashionable
14.
remote or distant in origin or time of origin
an old culture
15. (prenominal)
former; previous
my old house was small
16.
a. (prenominal)
established for a relatively long time
an old member
b.
(in combination)
old-established
17.
sensible, wise, or mature
old beyond one's years
18.
(of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum relief
See also youthful (sense 4), mature (sense 6)
19.
(intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)
20.
(of crops) harvested late
21. good old days
22. little old
23. the old one
noun
24.
an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old)
in days of old
▶ USAGE Many people prefer to talk about older people rather than old people, and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether
Derived forms
oldish (ˈoldish)
adjective
oldness (ˈoldness)
noun
Word origin
Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high
old in American English
(oʊld)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈolder or ˈelder, ˈoldest or ˈeldest
1.
having lived or been in existence for a long time; aged
2.
of, like, or characteristic of aged people; specif., mature in judgment, wise, etc.
3.
of a certain or specified age or duration
a child ten years old
4.
made or produced some time ago; not new
5.
familiar or known from the past; accustomed
up to his old tricks
6. [oftenO-]
designating the form of a language in its earliest attested stage
Old English
7.
having been in use for a long time; worn out by age or use; shabby
8.
that was at one time; former
my old teacher
9.
having had long experience or practice
an old hand at this work
10.
belonging to the remote past; having existed long ago; ancient
an old civilization
11.
dating or continuing from some period long before the present; of long standing
an old tradition
12.
designating the earlier or earliest of two or more
the Old World
13. Informal
dear
a term of affection or cordiality
old boy
14. Informal
tiresome, annoying, etc., esp. as a result of repetition or monotony
their incessant chatter has gotten old
15. Geology
having reached the stage of greatly decreased activity or showing extensive reduction of topographical form
said of streams, mountain ranges, etc.
noun
16.
time long past; yore
days of old
17.
a person of a specified age
used in hyphenated compounds
a six-year-old
18.
something old
with the
19.
old people
often with the
SYNONYMY NOTE: old implies a having been in existence or use for a relatively long time [old shoes, old civilizations]; ancient1 specifically implies reference to times long past [ancient history]; antique is applied to that which dates from ancient times, or, more commonly, from a formerperiod [antique furniture]; antiquate verb transitive is used to describe that which has become old-fashioned or outdated [antiquated notions of decorum]; archaic, in this connection, applies to that which is marked by the characteristics of anearlier period [an archaic iron fence surrounded the house]; obsolete is applied to that which has fallen into disuse or is out-of-date [obsolete weapons]
OPPOSITES: new, modern
Derived forms
oldness (ˈoldness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OE (Anglian) ald, WS eald, akin to Ger alt < IE base *al-, to grow > L altus, old, alere, to nourish: basic sense “grown”
More idioms containing
old
old hat
an old hand
old habits die hard
the old guard
an old flame
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
a chip off the old block
an old chestnut
old as the hills
of the old school
the old school tie
tough as old boots
be up to your old tricks
an old wives' tale
open old wounds
money for old rope
Examples of 'old' in a sentence
old
We also wander around the old town.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No one was pretending the new numbers were anywhere near as good as the old favourites.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These give you a clue as to whether the wine is old or young.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The older generation certainly know what they need to do.
The Sun (2016)
We got on well just like old times and we shared a taxi home.
The Sun (2016)
Reforms on how to use retirement pots have led to a flood of fraudsters targeting older people by phone or email.
The Sun (2016)
Being responsible for the care of an older or ill person is not normally something that runs to a set schedule.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And you don't need to use these old skills in a conventional way.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Welcome to the world's oldest youth club.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
You need to book at this restaurant in the old town.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You know that old saying about mixing business and pleasure?
The Sun (2013)
Researchers have found that older people are able to retain a range of skills effectively.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Wisdom makes a particularly big contribution to happiness in old age.
Paul Martin MAKING HAPPY PEOPLE (2005)
Young and old can have a go.
The Sun (2010)
The older person will mostly go for walks.
Lutzner, Dr Helmut Successful Fasting -the easy way to cleanse your body of its poisons (1990)
The desire to be seen and known is as old as humanity.
Christianity Today (2000)
She was two years old at the time.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The person will fail to recognise various old friends and acquaintances.
Thomas Blaikie Blaikie's Guide to Modern Manners (2005)
Yet there was the sense of an older gentleman wondering about the younger generation.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Some people leave their old accounts open for a few months in case anything was missed in the transfer process.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Has the old enemy gone soft?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Most of them were against older and better teams but we all learnt a good deal from opposing older and more experienced players.
Leo McKinstry Sir Alf: A Major Reappraisal of the Life and Times of England's Greatest FootballManager (2006)
Now the Suffolk county town is giving its old rival a run for its money.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Zagreb's elegant old town and buzzing nightlife are well worth jumping on a plane for.
The Sun (2016)
If only Hunt had been around to see it with his old rival.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Now the time has come for you to take on your anxiety, to confront the old enemy.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
Quotations
No man is ever so old but he thinks he can live another yearCiceroDe Senectute
There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
In other languages
old
British English: old /əʊld/ ADJECTIVE
aged An old person is someone who has lived for a long time.
An old lady sat next to me.
American English: old
Arabic: عَجُوزٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: velho
Chinese: 老的
Croatian: star
Czech: starý
Danish: gammel
Dutch: oud
European Spanish: viejo
Finnish: vanha
French: vieux
German: alt
Greek: παλιός
Italian: vecchio
Japanese: 年取った
Korean: 나이든
Norwegian: gammel
Polish: stary
European Portuguese: velho
Romanian: bătrân
Russian: старый
Latin American Spanish: viejo
Swedish: gammal
Thai: แก่
Turkish: yaşlı
Ukrainian: старий
Vietnamese: già
British English: old /əʊld/ ADJECTIVE
made a long time ago An old thing is something that somebody made a long time ago.
We have a very old car.
American English: old
Arabic: قَدِيـم
Brazilian Portuguese: velho
Chinese: 老的
Croatian: star
Czech: starý
Danish: gammel
Dutch: oud
European Spanish: viejo
Finnish: vanha
French: ancien
German: alt
Greek: παλιός
Italian: vecchio
Japanese: 古い
Korean: 오래된
Norwegian: gammel
Polish: stary
European Portuguese: antigo
Romanian: vechi
Russian: старый
Latin American Spanish: antiguo
Swedish: gammal
Thai: เก่า
Turkish: eski
Ukrainian: старовинний
Vietnamese: cũ
Chinese translation of 'old'
old
(əuld)
adj
(= aged)[person]年老的 (niánlǎo de)
⇒ an old lady一位年老的女士 (yī wèi niánlǎo de nǚshì)
(talking about age) 岁(歲)数(數)的 (suìshù de)
⇒ He wasn't old enough to understand.他还没到能明白的岁数。 (Tā hái méi dào néng míngbai de suìshù.)
(= not new, not recent) 古老的 (gǔlǎo de)
⇒ an old proverb古老的谚语 (gǔlǎo de yànyǔ)
(= worn out) 破旧(舊)的 (pòjiù de)
⇒ an old toothbrush lying on the window sill窗台上有一把破牙刷 (chuāngtái shang yǒu yī bǎ pò yáshuā)
(= former) 以前的 (yǐqián de)
⇒ his old job at the town hall他以前在市政厅的工作 (tā yǐqián zài shìzhèngtīng de gōngzuò)