əuld adj. (older, oldest) (cf. ELDER, ELDEST). 1 a advanced in
age;
far on in
the natural period of
existence. b
not young or
near its beginning. 2
made long
ago. 3 long in
use. 4
worn or
dilapidated or
shabby from the passage of
time. 5 having the characteristics (experience, feebleness, etc.) of age (the
child has an old face). 6 practised,
inveterate (an old offender; old in crime). 7 belonging
only or
chiefly to the
past; lingering
on; former (old times; haunted by old memories). 8 dating from far
back; long established or
known; ancient,
primeval (old as the hills; old friends; an old family). 9 (appended to a period of time) of age (is
four years old; a four-year-old
boy; a four-year-old). 10 (of language) as used in former or earliest times. 11 colloq. as a
term of
affection or
casual reference (good old
Charlie; old shipmate). 12 the former or
first of
two or
more similar things (our old
house; wants
his old job back). øold age the later
part of
normal life. old-age pension =
retirement pension. old-age
pensioner a
person receiving
this. Old
Bailey the
Central Criminal Court in London. Old Bill
Brit. sl. the
police. old
bird a
wary person. old boy 1 a former
male pupil of a school. 2 colloq. a an
elderly man. b an
affectionate form of
address to a boy or man. old boy
network Brit. colloq.
preferment in
employment of
those from a similar
social background,
esp.
fellow ex-pupils of
public schools. the old
country the
native country of colonists etc. Old
English the English
language up to c.1150. old-fashioned in or
according to a
fashion or tastes no longer
current;
antiquated. Old
French the French language of the period
before c.1400. old
fustic see FUSTIC. old
girl 1 a former
female pupil of a school. 2 colloq. a an elderly
woman. b an affectionate term of address to a girl or woman. Old
Glory US the US
national flag. old
gold a
dull brownish-gold
colour. old
guard the
original or past or
conservative members of a
group. old
hand a person
with much experience. old
hat colloq.
something tediously
familiar or
out of date. Old
High German High German (see GERMAN) up to c.1200. old
lady colloq. one's
mother or
wife. old lag see
LAG(3). old
maid 1 derog. an elderly
unmarried woman. 2 a
prim and fussy person. 3 a card-game in
which players
try not to be left with an
unpaired queen. old-maidish like an old maid. old man colloq. 1 one's
husband or
father. 2 one's employer or
other person in
authority over one. 3 an affectionate form of address to a boy or man. old man's
beard a
wild clematis, Clematis vitalba, with
grey fluffy hairs
round the seeds:
also called traveller's
joy (see TRAVELLER). old
master 1 a
great artist of former times, esp. of the 13th-17th c. in Europe. 2 a
painting by
such a painter. old
moon the moon in its last
quarter, before the
new moon. Old
Nick colloq. the
Devil. Old
Norse see NORSE. an old one a familiar
joke. Old Pals
Act Brit. the
principle that friends
should always help one
another. Old
Pretender James
Stuart (1688-1766),
son of James II and
claimant to the
British throne. old
retainer see RETAINER 3b. old school 1
traditional attitudes. 2
people having such attitudes. old school
tie Brit. 1 a
necktie with a
characteristic pattern worn by the pupils of a
particular (usu. public) school. 2 the principle of
excessive loyalty to traditional values. old
soldier an
experienced person, esp. in an
arduous activity. old stager an experienced person, an old hand. old
style of a date reckoned by the
Julian calendar. Old
Testament the part of the
Christian Bible containing the scriptures of the Hebrews. old-time belonging to former times. old-timer US a person with long experience or
standing. old wives'
tale a
foolish or
unscientific tradition or
belief. old woman colloq. 1 one's wife or mother. 2 a fussy or
timid man. old-womanish fussy and timid. Old
World Europe, Asia, and Africa. old-world belonging to or associated with old times. old
year the year
just ended or
about to
end. øøoldish adj. oldness n. [OE ald f. WG]