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the old

 - 2 dictionary results

old

  [ohld] adjective, old⋅er, old⋅est or eld⋅er, eld⋅est, noun
Use the old in a Sentence
–adjective
1. far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse; an old tree.
2. of or pertaining to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing: old age.
3. as if or appearing to be far advanced in years: Worry had made him old.
4. having lived or existed for a specified time: a man 30 years old; a century-old organization.
5. having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or things: Jim is our oldest boy.
6. having been aged for a specified time: This whiskey is eight years old.
7. having been aged for a comparatively long time: old brandy.
8. long known or in use: the same old excuse.
9. overfamiliar to the point of tedium: Some jokes get old fast.
10. belonging to the past: the good old days.
11. having been in existence since the distant past: a fine old family.
12. no longer in general use: This typewriter is an old model.
13. 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.
14. of, pertaining to, or originating at an earlier period or date: old maps.
15. prehistoric; ancient: There may have been an old land bridge between Asia and Alaska.
16. (initial capital letter) (of a language) in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records: Old Czech.
17. experienced: He's an old hand at welding.
18. of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time: an old and trusted employee.
19. (of colors) dull, faded, or subdued: old rose.
20. deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated: old clothes.
21. Physical Geography. (of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.
22. sedate, sensible, mature, or wise: That child seems old beyond his years.
23. (used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization): good old Bob; that dirty old jalopy.
24. Informal. (used as an intensive) great; uncommon: a high old time.
25. former; having been so formerly: a dinner for his old students.
–noun
26. (used with a plural verb) old persons collectively (usually prec. by the): appropriations to care for the old.
27. 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.
28. old or former time, often time long past: days of old.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE eald, ald; c. D old, G alt, Goth altheis; akin to ON ala to nourish

Related forms:
oldness, noun

Synonyms:
1. 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. olden, early.

Antonyms:
1. young.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

old 
O.E. ald (Anglian), eald (W.Saxon), from W.Gmc. *althas "grown up, adult" (cf. O.Fris. ald, Goth. alþeis, Du. oud, Ger. alt), originally a pp. stem of a verb meaning "grow, nourish" (cf. Goth. alan "to grow up," O.N. ala "to nourish"), from PIE base *al- "to grow, nourish" (cf. Gk. aldaino "make grow, strengthen," althein, althainein "to get well;" L. alere "to feed, nourish, bring up, increase," altus "high," lit. “grown tall,” almus "nurturing, nourishing," alumnus "fosterling, step-child;" O.Ir. alim "I nourish"). The usual PIE root is *sen- (cf. senior). A few IE languages distinguish words for "old" (vs. young) from words for "old" (vs. new), and some have separate words for aged persons as opposed to old things. L. senex was used of aged living things, mostly persons, while vetus (lit. "having many years") was used of inanimate things. Gk. geraios was used mostly of humans; Gk. palaios was used mostly of things, of persons only in a derogatory sense. Gk. also had arkhaios, lit. "belonging to the beginning," which parallels Fr. ancien, used mostly with ref. to things "of former times." O.E. also had fyrn "ancient," related to O.E. feor "far, distant" (see far, and cf. Goth. fairneis, O.N. forn "old, of old, of former times," O.H.G. firni "old, experienced"). The original O.E. vowel is preserved in Scots auld. The original comp. and superl. retained in particular uses elder, eldest, also alderman). Pseudo-archaic mock-antique variant olde is attested from 1927. Oldie "an old tune or film" is from 1940. First record of old-timer is from 1860. Expression old as the hills first recorded 1819. The good old days dates from 1828. Of old "of old times" is from c.1386. Old Glory for "the American flag" is first attested 1862. Old maid "woman who remains single well beyond the usual marrying age" is from 1530; the card game is attested by that name from 1844. Old man "husband, father, boss" is from 1854, earlier (1830) military slang for "commanding officer;" old lady "wife, mother" is attested from c.1775. Old English is attested from 1849 as a type of black-letter font.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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