older

Main Entry:: ¹old
Pronunciation:: \ˈōld; for sense 9 usually ˈōl\
Function:: 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> bcapitalized : 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>.

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