Wiktionary

old

See also: Old, öld, ǫld, øld, 'old, old-, and OLD

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Middle English olde, ald, from Old English ald, eald (“old, aged, ancient, antique, primeval”), from Proto-West Germanic *ald, from Proto-Germanic *aldaz (“grown-up”), originally a participle form, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós (“grown, tall, big”). Cognate with Scots auld (“old”), North Frisian ool, ual, uul (“old”), Saterland Frisian oold (“old”), West Frisian âld (“old”), Dutch oud (“old”), Low German old (“old”), German alt (“old”), Swedish äldre (“older, elder”), Icelandic eldri (“older, elder”), Latin altus (“high, tall, grown big, lofty”). Related to eld.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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old (comparative older or elder, superlative oldest or eldest or (US, dialectal) oldermost)

  1. Of an object, concept, relationship, etc., having existed for a relatively long period of time.
    an old abandoned building
    an old friend
    • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
      They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.
    1. Of a living being, having lived for most of the expected years.
      a wrinkled old man
    2. Of a perishable item, having existed for most of, or more than, its shelf life.
      an old loaf of bread
    3. Of a species or language, belonging to a lineage that is distantly related others
      the ginkgo is one of the oldest living trees
      Basque is the oldest language in Europe
  2. Having been used and thus no longer new or unused.
    I find that an old toothbrush is good to clean the keyboard with.
  3. Having existed or lived for the specified time.
    How old are they? She’s five years old and he's seven. We also have a young teen and a two-year-old child.
    My great-grandfather lived to be a hundred and one years old.
  4. (heading) Of an earlier time.
    1. Former, previous.
      My new car is not as good as my old one.  a school reunion for Old Etonians
      • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
        The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.
      • 1994, Michael Grumley, Life Drawing:
        But over my old life, a new life had formed.
    2. That is no longer in existence.
      The footpath follows the route of an old railway line.
    3. Obsolete; out-of-date.
      That is the old way of doing things; now we do it this way.
    4. Familiar.
      • 1991, Stephen Fry, chapter III, in The Liar, London: William Heinemann, →ISBN, page 26:
        Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’
      When he got drunk and quarrelsome they just gave him the old heave-ho.
    5. (UK) Being a graduate or alumnus of a school, especially a public school.
  5. Tiresome after prolonged repetition.
    • 1995, MacUser, volume 11, MacUser Publications, page 147:
      Rik: But even great shtick can get old real fast: the dreaded Saturday Night Live syndrome.
      Jim: Randomness can help - many Living Books have characters that do different things each time you click on them.
    • 2000, Charles A. Siringo, A Texas Cowboy: or, Fifteen Years on the Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony, Penguin, →ISBN, page 100:
      John and I built a small stone house on the head of “Bonetta” Canyon and had a hog killing time all by ourselves. Hunting was our delight at first, until it became old.
    • 2008, Homer L. Hall, Logan H. Aimone, High School Journalism, The Rosen Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 171:
      The songs start to get old real fast, and it's easy to get bored after the third song.
    • 2012, Blossom, From Under a Bridge Ii, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 40:
      It was the same old thing every week, working and drinking, working and drinking. It became old and I got really sick of it.
    Your constant pestering is getting old.
  6. Said of subdued colors, particularly reds, pinks and oranges, as if they had faded over time.
    Synonym: antique
  7. A grammatical intensifier, often used in describing something positive, and combined with another adjective.
    We're having a good old time.
    My next car will be a big old SUV.
    My wife makes the best little old apple pie in Texas.
    any old
  8. (informal, of a person) Indicating affection and familiarity.
  9. Designed for a mature audience; unsuitable for children below a certain age.
    • 1868, Oliver Optic's Magazine: Our Boys and Girls ..., page 431:
      Monsieur's story is too old for our Juvenile Magazine.
    • 1998, Rita Schrank, Science, Math, and Nutrition for Toddlers: Setting the Stage for Serendipity:
      The text is too old for toddlers, but the colorful photographs are large enough and appropriate for them.
    • 2006 January 9, Christine L. Williams, Inside Toyland: Working, Shopping, and Social Inequality, Univ of California Press, →ISBN, page 219:
      Diane Ehrensaft (1997) finds that middle-class parents typically buy "older" toys for their children to encourage accelerated development.
    • 2019 12, Sean David Burke, Lighting the Literacy Fire, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 131:
      If you feel you have to leave something out because it's too horrible, then either the story is too old for the child, or you fail to understand the way your child will accept the rough justice and feel inwardly content at the outcome.
    • 2021, Joe Brumm, “Chest”, in Bluey, season 3, episode 11:
      Bluey: Oh! It's like checkers!
      Bandit: Yeah, but a lot harder than checkers.
      Chilli: And so probably a bit old for Bluey, right?
  10. (obsolete) Excessive, abundant.
    • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
      URSULA: Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my Lady Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused;

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

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old (countable and uncountable, plural olds)

  1. (with the, invariable plural only) People who are old; old beings; the older generation, taken as a group.
    A civilised society should always look after the old in the community.
  2. (slang) A person older than oneself, especially an adult in relation to a teenager.
    Near-synonyms: geezer, oldie, oldster; see also Thesaurus:old person
    I'm not letting an old wreck my good time today.
    I'm not letting any olds wreck my good time today.
  3. (slang, most often plural) One's parents.
    I had to sneak out to meet my girlfriend and tell the olds I was going to the library.
  5. (Australia, uncountable) A typically dark-coloured lager brewed by the traditional top-fermentation method.
    Antonym: new
    • 2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 117:
      We crossed to the pub on the corner of Carlisle Street and I ordered two schooners of old for him and one of light for me.

Anagrams

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Danish

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Old Norse ǫld, from Proto-Germanic *aldiz, cognate with Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌳𐍃 (alds).

Noun

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old c (singular definite olden, not used in plural form)

  1. (archaic) period, age, generation
    • 1813, N.F.S. Grundtvig, “Kristjan den sjette”, in Poetiske Skrifter, volume 3, page 306:
      Hvad der bygtes i din Old, Bygtes som paa Grus og Sand.
      What was built in your age was built as if on gravel and sand.
    • 1805, Adam Oehleschläger, Isefjorden‎[1]:
      Hvor de tykke Piller favne / Støvet af de store Navne, / Som ei døer, ei blier forgiettet, / Naar min Old er længst udslettet.
      Where the massive columns embrace the dust of the great names that will not die, will not be forgotten when my generation has been obliterated for a long time.
  2. (archaic, rare) antiquity
    • 1891, Holger Drachmann, Vildt og tæmmet, section 299:
      Andenlæreren var en Sværmer, og en fanatisk Sværmer, for den nordiske Old.
      The teaching assistant was an enthusiast, a fanatic enthusiast, for the Nordic Antiquity.
Declension
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Declension of old
common
gender 		Singular
indefinite definite
nominative old olden
genitive olds oldens
Derived terms
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References

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Etymology 2

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Clipping of oldtidskundskab.

Noun

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old c (uninflected)

  1. Classical Civilization (a course in secondary school)
    Synonym: oldtidskundskab
Derived terms
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References

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German Low German

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle Low German ôlt. The A became an O through the effect of the velarised L in the same manner as in Dutch oud.

Cognate with English old, Dutch oud, German alt, West Frisian âld.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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old (comparative öller, superlative öllst)

  1. old

Declension

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Positive forms of old
gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative he is old se is old dat is old se sünd old
partitive een olls een olls wat olls allens oll
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative olle olle old olle
oblique ollen olle old olle
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative de olle de olle dat olle de ollen
oblique den ollen de olle dat olle de ollen
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative en olle/ollen en olle en old/ollet (keen) ollen
oblique en ollen en olle en old/ollet (keen) ollen
Comparative forms of old
gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative he is öller se is öller dat is öller se sünd öller
partitive een öllers een öllers wat öllers allens öller
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative öllere öllere öller öllere
oblique öllern öllere öller öllere
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative de öllere de öllere dat öllere de öllern
oblique den öllern de öllere dat öllere de öllern
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative en öllere/ölleren en öllere en öller (keen) öllern
oblique en öllern en öllere en öller (keen) öllern
Superlative forms of old
gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter all genders
predicative he is de Öllste se is de Öllste dat is dat Öllste se sünd de Öllsten
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative öllste öllste öllst öllste
oblique öllsten öllste öllst öllste
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative de öllste de öllste dat öllste de öllsten
oblique den öllsten de öllste dat öllste de öllsten
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative en öllste/öllsten en öllste en öllst (keen) öllsten
oblique en öllsten en öllste en öllst (keen) öllsten
Note: This declension is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Descendants

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  • → German: oll

Hungarian

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Etymology

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From Proto-Uralic *aŋa- (“to loosen, open (up), untie”) [1] + -d (frequentative suffix).[2]

Pronunciation

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Verb

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old

  1. (transitive) to solve
  2. (transitive) to untie

Conjugation

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conjugation of old
Click for archaic forms 1st person sg 2nd person sg
informal 		3rd person sg,
2nd p. sg formal 		1st person pl 2nd person pl
informal 		3rd person pl,
2nd p. pl formal


Indica­tive
mood 		Pre­sent Indef. oldok oldasz old oldunk oldotok oldanak
Def. oldom oldod oldja oldjuk oldjátok oldják
2nd-p. o. oldalak ―
Past Indef. oldottam oldottál oldott oldottunk oldottatok oldottak
Def. oldottam oldottad oldotta oldottuk oldottátok oldották
2nd-p. o. oldottalak ―
Future Future is expressed with a present-tense verb with a completion-marking prefix and/or a time adverb, or—more explicitly—with the infinitive plus the conjugated auxiliary verb fog, e.g. oldani fog.
Archaic
Preterit 		Indef. oldék oldál olda oldánk oldátok oldának
Def. oldám oldád oldá oldánk oldátok oldák
2nd-p. o. oldálak ―
Archaic Past Two additional past tenses: the present and the (current) past forms followed by vala (volt), e.g. old vala, oldott vala/volt.
Archaic
Future 		Indef. oldandok oldandasz oldand oldandunk oldandotok oldandanak
Def. oldandom oldandod oldandja oldandjuk oldandjátok oldandják
2nd-p. o. oldandalak ―
Condi­tional
mood 		Pre­sent Indef. oldanék oldanál oldana oldanánk oldanátok oldanának
Def. oldanám oldanád oldaná oldanánk
(or oldanók) 		oldanátok oldanák
2nd-p. o. oldanálak ―
Past Indicative past forms followed by volna, e.g. oldott volna
Sub­junc­tive
mood 		Pre­sent Indef. oldjak oldj or
oldjál 		oldjon oldjunk oldjatok oldjanak
Def. oldjam oldd or
oldjad 		oldja oldjuk oldjátok oldják
2nd-p. o. oldjalak ―
(Archaic) Past Indicative past forms followed by légyen, e.g. oldott légyen
Infinitive oldani oldanom oldanod oldania oldanunk oldanotok oldaniuk
Other
forms 		Verbal noun Present part. Past part. Future part. Adverbial participle Causative
oldás oldó oldott oldandó oldva (oldván)
The archaic passive conjugation had the same -(t)at/-(t)et suffix as the causative, followed by -ik in the 3rd-person singular
(and the concomitant changes in conditional and subjunctive mostly in the 1st- and 3rd-person singular like with other traditional -ik verbs).
potential conjugation of old
Click for archaic forms 1st person sg 2nd person sg
informal 		3rd person sg,
2nd p. sg formal 		1st person pl 2nd person pl
informal 		3rd person pl,
2nd p. pl formal
Indica­tive
mood 		Pre­sent Indef. oldhatok oldhatsz oldhat oldhatunk oldhattok oldhatnak
Def. oldhatom oldhatod oldhatja oldhatjuk oldhatjátok oldhatják
2nd-p. o. oldhatlak ―
Past Indef. oldhattam oldhattál oldhatott oldhattunk oldhattatok oldhattak
Def. oldhattam oldhattad oldhatta oldhattuk oldhattátok oldhatták
2nd-p. o. oldhattalak ―
Archaic
Preterit 		Indef. oldhaték oldhatál oldhata oldhatánk oldhatátok oldhatának
Def. oldhatám oldhatád oldhatá oldhatánk oldhatátok oldhaták
2nd-p. o. oldhatálak ―
Archaic Past Two additional past tenses: the present and the (current) past forms followed by vala, e.g. oldhat vala, oldhatott vala/volt.
Archaic
Future 		Indef. oldhatandok
or oldandhatok 		oldhatandasz
or oldandhatsz 		oldhatand
or oldandhat 		oldhatandunk
or oldandhatunk 		oldhatandotok
or oldandhattok 		oldhatandanak
or oldandhatnak
Def. oldhatandom
or oldandhatom 		oldhatandod
or oldandhatod 		oldhatandja
or oldandhatja 		oldhatandjuk
or oldandhatjuk 		oldhatandjátok
or oldandhatjátok 		oldhatandják
or oldandhatják
2nd-p. o. oldhatandalak
or oldandhatlak 		―
Condi­tional
mood 		Pre­sent Indef. oldhatnék oldhatnál oldhatna oldhatnánk oldhatnátok oldhatnának
Def. oldhatnám oldhatnád oldhatná oldhatnánk
(or oldhatnók) 		oldhatnátok oldhatnák
2nd-p. o. oldhatnálak ―
Past Indicative past forms followed by volna, e.g. oldhatott volna
Sub­junc­tive
mood 		Pre­sent Indef. oldhassak oldhass or
oldhassál 		oldhasson oldhassunk oldhassatok oldhassanak
Def. oldhassam oldhasd or
oldhassad 		oldhassa oldhassuk oldhassátok oldhassák
2nd-p. o. oldhassalak ―
(Archaic) Past Indicative past forms followed by légyen, e.g. oldhatott légyen
Inf. (oldhatni) (oldhatnom) (oldhatnod) (oldhatnia) (oldhatnunk) (oldhatnotok) (oldhatniuk)
Positive adjective oldható Neg. adj. oldhatatlan Adv. part. (oldhatva / oldhatván)

Derived terms

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(With verbal prefixes):

Expressions

References

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  1. ^ Entry #16 in Uralonet, online Uralic etymological database of the Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics.
  2. ^ old in Zaicz, Gábor (ed.). Etimológiai szótár: Magyar szavak és toldalékok eredete (‘Dictionary of Etymology: The origin of Hungarian words and affixes’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2006, →ISBN.  (See also its 2nd edition.)

Further reading

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  • old in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Middle Low German

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Adjective

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old

  1. Alternative spelling of ôlt.
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