Meaning & Definition of Old in English

1. Past times (especially in the phrase `in days of old')

1. (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

• "His mother is very old"

• "A ripe old age"

• "How old are you?"

2. Of long duration

• Not new

• "Old tradition"

• "Old house"

• "Old wine"

• "Old country"

• "Old friendships"

• "Old money"

3. (used for emphasis) very familiar

• "Good old boy"

• "Same old story"

4. Skilled through long experience

• "An old offender"

• "The older soldiers"

5. Belonging to some prior time

• "Erstwhile friend"

• "Our former glory"

• "The once capital of the state"

• "Her quondam lover"

6. (used informally especially for emphasis)

• "A real honest-to-god live cowboy"

• "Had us a high old time"

• "Went upriver to look at a sure-enough fish wheel"

7. Of a very early stage in development

• "Old english is also called anglo saxon"

• "Old high german is high german from the middle of the 9th to the end of the 11th century"

8. Just preceding something else in time or order

• "The previous owner"

• "My old house was larger"