I. ˈōld; for sense 9 usually ˈōl 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
b. capitalized : 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
II. noun
Date: 13th century
1. : one of a specified age — usually used in combination
a 3-year- old
2. : old or earlier time — used in the phrase of old
the cavalry of old