1
general::
adj. age VERBS be, feel, look, seem You are as old as you feel. ADV. enough He's old enough by now to manage his own affairs. PHRASES six months, ten years, etc. old not young VERBS be, feel, look, seem, sound The way the young people rushed about made her feel old. He was beginning to look old. | become, get, grow We're all getting older. As they grow older, they develop new interests. ADV. extremely, terribly, very | fairly, quite She was quite old when she got married. not new VERBS be ADV. extremely, really, terribly, very It's a very old tradition. | fairly, quite PHRASES oldest known These are some of the oldest known fossil remains. | oldest remaining It's one of the oldest remaining parts of the church. | oldest surviving It's the world's oldest surviving ship. shows affection/lack of respect PHRASES boring/silly old boring old history books She's a silly old cow! | dear/good old Good old Dad! | funny old It's a funny old world. | poor old You poor old thing! | same old always the same old faces
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
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general::
In addition to the idioms beginning with OLD, Also see ANY OLD; CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK; COMFORTABLE AS AN OLD SHOE; DIRTY JOKE (OLD MAN); GET THE AIR (OLD HEAVE-HO); NEW WINE IN OLD BOTTLES; NO FOOL LIKE AN OLD FOOL; OF OLD; RIPE OLD AGE; SAME OLD STORY; SETTLE A SCORE (OLD SCORES); STAMPING GROUND, OLD; TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS; UP TO ONE'S OLD TRICKS.
American Heritage Idioms
4
general::
person
old
having lived for a long time:
• an old man • I’m too old to learn a new language.
elderly
a polite word for old:
• an elderly lady • a home for the elderly (= elderly people ) • If you are elderly, you may be eligible for financial assistance.
aging
( also ageing British English ) [ only before noun ] becoming old:
• an ageing rock star • the problems of an ageing population
aged
[ only before noun ] written aged relatives are very old:
• aged parents • She had to look after her aged aunt.
elder brother/sister
especially British English [ only before noun ] an older brother or sister. Elder sounds more formal than older:
• I have two elder brothers.
ancient
[ not usually before noun ] informal very old – used humorously:
• I’ll be 30 next year – it sounds really ancient!
be getting on (in years)
informal to be fairly old:
• He’s 60 now, so he’s getting on a bit.
be over the hill
( also be past it British English ) informal to be too old to do something:
• Everyone thinks you’re past it when you get to 40.
geriatric
[ only before noun ] relating to medical care and treatment for old people:
• a geriatric hospital • geriatric patients
thing
old
• an old car • an old Chinese saying
ancient
very old – used about things that existed thousands of years ago, or things that look very old:
• ancient civilisations • an ancient Rolls Royce
antique
antique furniture, clocks, jewellery etc are old and often valuable:
• an antique writing desk
age-old
used about traditions, problems, or situations that have existed for a very long time:
• the age-old tradition of morris dancing • the age-old prejudice against women in positions of power • the age-old problem of nationalism • age-old hatreds between religious groups
Longman-Thesaurus