Main Entry:

¹old

Pronunciation:

\ˈōld; for sense 9 usually ˈōl\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English eald; akin to Old High German alt old, Latin alere to nourish, alescere to grow, altus high, deep

Date:

before 12th century

1 a: dating from the remote past : ancient <old traditions> b: persisting from an earlier time <an old ailment> <they brought up the same old argument> c: of long standing <an old friend>2 a: distinguished from an object of the same kind by being of an earlier date <many still used the old name> bcapitalized : belonging to an early period in the development of a language or literature <Old Persian>3: having existed for a specified period of time <a child three years old>4: of, relating to, or originating in a past era <old chronicles record the event>5 a: advanced in years or age <an old person> b: showing the characteristics of age <looked old at 20>6: experienced <an old trooper speaking of the last war>7: former <his old students>8 a: showing the effects of time or use : worn, aged <old shoes> b: no longer in use : discarded <old rags> c: of a grayish or dusty color <old mauve> d: tiresome <gets old fast>9 a: long familiar <same old story> <good old Joe> b—used as an intensive <a high old time> c—used to express an attitude of affection or amusement <a big old dog><flex the old biceps><any old time>

synonyms old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete mean having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past. old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence <old houses> <an old sweater of mine>. ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past <ancient accounts of dragons>. venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age <the family's venerable patriarch>. antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time <collected antique Chippendale furniture>. antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time <antiquated teaching methods>. archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time <the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period>. obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence <a computer that makes earlier models obsolete>.