Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Belonging to or made in a past historical period: Describes objects, styles, or customs that originate from an earlier time, often valued for their age, craftsmanship, or historical significance.
   • Old-fashioned or outmoded: Describes something that is no longer in current style or fashion.

2. Noun:

   • An object, such as a piece of furniture or work of art, that is old and often valuable: Refers specifically to a collectible item from a former period, prized for its beauty, rarity, or age.

3. Verb:

   • To give an antique appearance to something: The act of treating or finishing an object to make it look old and worn.
   • To shop for or collect antiques: The activity of searching for and buying antique objects.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • They bought a beautiful antique desk from the 18th century.
  • His views on management are rather antique.

• Noun:

  • The museum has a collection of valuable Greek antiques.
  • She is an expert in Chinese antiques.

• Verb:

  • The craftsman antiqued the new picture frame to match the old mirror.
  • We spent the weekend antiquing in the countryside.

Advanced Usage

• "the antique": When used with the definite article, this can refer to the classical style of ancient Greek and Roman art.
  • The artist studied the antique to understand classical forms.

Variants and Related Words

• Antiqued (adj): Having been given an appearance of age.
  • The antiqued leather gave the book a distinguished look.
• Antiquer (n): A person who collects or deals in antiques.
• Antiquary (n): An antiquarian; a student or collector of antiquities or antique objects.

Synonyms

• Adjective (old): Ancient, vintage, old-fashioned, archaic.
• Noun (object): Relic, curio, artifact, heirloom.

Related Phrases

• Antique shop/dealer/store: A place where or a person who sells antique objects.
  • We found a rare vase at the local antique shop.
• Antique fair/market: An event where antiques are sold.
  • The monthly antique fair attracts collectors from all over the region.

Idioms

• To be an antique: To be a very old person (often used humorously or affectionately).
  • Oh, don't mind my granddad's stories; he's a bit of an antique himself.

Adjective

1. belonging to or lasting from times long ago
   • age-old customs
   • the antique fear that days would dwindle away to complete darkness
2. out of fashion
   • a suit of rather antique appearance
   • demode (or outmoded) attire
   • outmoded ideas
3. made in or typical of earlier times and valued for its age
   • the beautiful antique French furniture

Noun

1. any piece of furniture or decorative object or the like produced in a former period and valuable because of its beauty or rarity
2. an elderly man

Verb

1. give an antique appearance to
   • antique furniture
2. shop for antiques
   • We went antiquing on Saturday