Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having lived or existed for a long time: Used to describe a person, animal, or thing that has been alive or in existence for a long period.
   • Not new or recent: Used to describe something that was made, created, or established a long time ago.
   • Belonging to the past; former: Used to describe something that existed or was used in a previous time.
   • Used to express familiarity or affection: Used informally, often before a name or noun, to indicate a long-standing, familiar, or affectionate relationship.
   • Used for emphasis: Used informally to add emphasis, often in set phrases.

2. Noun:

   • Past times; former days: Used to refer to a time long past, especially in the phrase 'of old' or 'in days of old'.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • His mother is very old. (Describing a person's advanced age.)
  • They live in an old house. (Describing something not new.)
  • She found her old school books. (Describing something belonging to a former time.)
  • How are you, old friend? (Expressing familiarity and affection.)
  • We had a high old time at the party. (Used for emphasis in an informal phrase.)

• Noun:

  • The stories are from the days of old. (Referring to past times.)

Advanced Usage

• "any old": Used informally to mean 'any at all', emphasizing a lack of specificity or preference.
  • Just wear any old clothes for gardening.
• "good old" / "poor old": Used to express affection, sympathy, or nostalgia.
  • Let's go back to my good old hometown.
  • Poor old John missed the bus again.
• "old as the hills": An idiom meaning extremely old.
  • That joke is as old as the hills.

Variants and Related Words

• Olden (adj): Belonging to a past age (often used in the phrase 'olden days').
• Older (adj): Comparative form of 'old'.
• Oldest (adj): Superlative form of 'old'.
• Oldish (adj): Somewhat old.

Synonyms

• Aged: Having lived for a long time; very old.
• Ancient: Belonging to the very distant past.
• Former: Having previously been a particular thing.
• Venerable: Accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.

Antonyms

• Young: Having lived or existed for only a short time.
• New: Not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time.
• Modern: Relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past.
• Current: Belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now.

Related Idioms

• "old hand": A person with a lot of experience in something.
  • She's an old hand at organizing events.
• "old school": Adhering to traditional ideas or methods.
  • His teaching style is very old school.
• "old hat": Something that is boringly familiar or outdated.
  • That theory is considered old hat now.
• "pay an old debt": To settle a long-standing obligation.
  • He finally paid that old debt.

Noun

1. past times (especially in the phrase `in days of old')

Adjective

1. just preceding something else in time or order
   • the previous owner
   • my old house was larger
2. of a very early stage in development
   • Old English is also called Anglo Saxon
   • Old High German is High German from the middle of the 9th to the end of the 11th century
3. (used informally especially for emphasis)
   • a real honest-to-god live cowboy
   • had us a high old time
   • went upriver to look at a sure-enough fish wheel
4. belonging to some prior time
   • erstwhile friend
   • our former glory
   • the once capital of the state
   • her quondam lover
5. skilled through long experience
   • an old offender
   • the older soldiers
6. (used for emphasis) very familiar
   • good old boy
   • same old story
7. of long duration; not new
   • old tradition
   • old house
   • old wine
   • old country
   • old friendships
   • old money
8. (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
   • his mother is very old
   • a ripe old age
   • how old are you?