[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/old/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [O](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/o/) / old

# old

adjective (old, older, oldest; elder, eldest for family); noun (the old — old people)

«old» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Old tells how long someone or something has lived or been: «Tom is 7 years old». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m1)
2. Old means having lived a long time: «an old man». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m2)
3. Old means not new, used for a long time: «old shoes». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m3)
4. Old can mean from before: «my old school». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m4)
5. (casual) «Old» is said in a friendly way: «old mate», «good old Dad», «any old thing» (anything at all). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m5)
6. (casual, rude) «My old man» and «my old lady» are slang for dad and mum (or husband and wife); «old fart», «old bag» are rude names for old people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m6)
7. (euphemism) Polite words for old people are «older people», «seniors», «elderly», «senior citizens», «getting on a bit». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m7)
8. (formal) Exams say «aged», «of age», «the age of», «antique», «former» and «previously». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#m8)

### In the lessons

how many years a person has lived: «How old» asks for an age in years; in history, old things come from long ago; phrases: «years old», «how old», «old friend», «in the old days», «grow old», «old-fashioned», «same old»; in casual talk «how old r u», «old mate», «old school» (in the old style, cool), «my old man»; in rough talk «old git», «ya old moaner»; euphemism «getting on a bit», «elderly», «senior»; in the exam voice «aged 7 years», «the present age of», «the age attained»

### Examples

- Tom is 7 years old. How old is Anna? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x1)
- Lily is 9 years old and her sister is 4. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x2)
- How old will Ben be in 3 years? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x3)
- My grandad is very old, but he still cycles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x4)
- These shoes are old and have holes in them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x5)
- I met my old teacher in the shop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x6)
- The castle is about 800 years old. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x7)
- how old's ur nan, like 80? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x8)
- My old man says I'm getting 2 dollars a week. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x9)
- Grandpa's getting on a bit, so we carry his bags. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x10)
- A pupil, presently aged 7 years, has a sibling aged 4 years. Determine the age of the sibling when the pupil attains the age of 10. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x11)
- Be kind and patient with old people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x12)
- "Who's there?" asked the old lady. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/#x13)

### Note

«How old» asks for an age in years. Trap: in N years both people are N years older, so their difference stays the same. «a 7-year-old» is a child of 7 (no «s» on year before old). «aged 7» and «presently aged 7 years» mean 7 years old now. «elderly» and «seniors» are the polite words; «old git» is rude.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah, old often gives a person's age, and very long lives are told in years. In the primary lessons: how many years a person has lived: «How old» asks for an age in years; in history, old things come from long ago; phrases: «years old», «how old», «old friend», «in the old days», «grow old», «old-fashioned», «same old»; in casual talk «how old r u», «old mate», «old school» (in the old style, cool), «my old man»; in rough talk «old git», «ya old moaner»; euphemism «getting on a bit», «elderly», «senior»; in the exam voice «aged 7 years», «the present age of», «the age attained»

### Examples

- And Isaac was threescore years old when she bore them. (Torah GEN.25.26, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/#x1)
- So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old. (Torah GEN.50.26, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/#x2)
- And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Torah GEN.5.32, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/#x3)
- So Job died, being old and full of days. (Writings JOB.42.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/#x4)
- Both young men and maidens, old men and children; (Writings PSA.148.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/#x5)
- Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. (Prophets 2KI.12.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/#x6)

### Note

«How old» asks for an age in years. Trap: in N years both people are N years older, so their difference stays the same. «a 7-year-old» is a child of 7 (no «s» on year before old). «aged 7» and «presently aged 7 years» mean 7 years old now. «elderly» and «seniors» are the polite words; «old git» is rude.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «old» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/old/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«old» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/old.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «old» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/old/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«old» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/old.html) on Mova free.