old

I. 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

>