(~er, ~est)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Someone who is ~ has lived for many years and is no longer young.
...a white-haired ~ man...
He was considered too ~ for the job.
= elderly
? young
ADJ
•
The ~ are people who are ~.
...providing a caring response for the needs of the ~ and the handicapped.
N-PLURAL: the N
2.
You use ~ 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 ~...
The paintings in the chapel were perhaps a thousand years ~...
How ~ are you now?...
Bill was six years ~er than David.
ADJ: amount ADJ, how ADJ, as ADJ as , ADJ-compar than
3.
Something that is ~ has existed for a long time.
She loved the big ~ house...
These books must be very ~.
...an ~ Arab proverb.
? new
ADJ
4.
Something that is ~ 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 ~ corduroy trousers.
...an ~ toothbrush.
? new
ADJ: usu ADJ n
5.
You use ~ to refer to something that is no longer used, that no longer exists, or that has been replaced by something else.
The ~ road had disappeared under grass and heather...
Although the ~ secret police have been abolished, the military police still exist...
ADJ: ADJ n
6.
You use ~ to refer to something that used to belong to you, or to a person or thing that used to have a particular role in your life.
I’ll make up the bed in your ~ room...
Mark was heartbroken when Jane returned to her ~ boyfriend.
ADJ: poss ADJ n
7.
An ~ friend, enemy, or rival is someone who has been your friend, enemy, or rival for a long time.
I called my ~ friend John Horner...
The French and English are ~ rivals.
ADJ: ADJ n
8.
You can use ~ to express affection when talking to or about someone you know. (INFORMAL)
Are you all right, ~ chap?...
Good ~ Bergen would do him the favor.
ADJ: ADJ n feelings
9.
You use any ~ to emphasize that the quality or type of something is not important. If you say that a particular thing is not any ~ thing, you are emphasizing how special or famous it is. (INFORMAL)
The portraits and sumptuous ornaments, and the g~ clock, show that this is not just any ~ front room.
PHRASE: PHR n emphasis
10.
In the ~ days means in the past, before things changed.
In the ~ days we got a visit from the vet maybe once a year.
PHRASE: PHR with cl
11.
When people refer to the good ~ days, they are referring to a time in the past when they think that life was better than it is now.
He remembers the good ~ days when everyone in his village knew him and you could leave your door open at night.
PHRASE
12.
good ~: see good
to settle an ~ score: see score
up to one’s ~ tricks: see trick