Old
(Old), a. [Compar. Older ; superl. Oldest.] [OE. old, ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS.
ald, OFries. ald, old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up, Icel. ala to bear,
produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish. Cf. Adult, Alderman, Aliment, Auld, Elder.]
1. Not young; advanced far in years or life; having lived till toward the end of the ordinary term of living; as,
an old man; an old age; an old horse; an old tree.
Let not old age disgrace my high desire.
Sir P. Sidney.
The melancholy news that we grow old.
Young. 2. Not new or fresh; not recently made or produced; having existed for a long time; as, old wine; an old
friendship. "An old acquaintance." Camden.
3. Formerly existing; ancient; not modern; preceding; original; as, an old law; an old custom; an old promise.
"The old schools of Greece." Milton. "The character of the old Ligurians." Addison.
4. Continued in life; advanced in the course of existence; having (a certain) length of existence; — designating
the age of a person or thing; as, an infant a few hours old; a cathedral centuries old.
And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?
Cen. xlvii. 8. In this use old regularly follows the noun that designates the age; as, she was eight years old.
5. Long practiced; hence, skilled; experienced; cunning; as, an old offender; old in vice.
Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old.
Milton. 6. Long cultivated; as, an old farm; old land, as opposed to new land, that is, to land lately cleared.
7. Worn out; weakened or exhausted by use; past usefulness; as, old shoes; old clothes.
8. More than enough; abundant. [Obs.]
If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have old turning the key.
Shak. 9. Aged; antiquated; hence, wanting in the mental vigor or other qualities belonging to youth; — used
disparagingly as a term of reproach.
10. Old-fashioned; wonted; customary; as of old; as, the good old times; hence, colloquially, gay; jolly.
11. Used colloquially as a term of cordiality and familiarity. "Go thy ways, old lad." Shak.
Old age, advanced years; the latter period of life. — Old bachelor. See Bachelor, 1. — Old Catholics.
See under Catholic. — Old English. See under English. n., 2. — Old Nick, Old Scratch, the
devil. — Old lady (Zoöl.), a large European noctuid moth — Old maid. (a) A woman, somewhat
advanced in years, who has never been married; a spinster. (b) (Bot.) A West Indian name for the
pink-flowered periwinkle (c) A simple game of cards, played by matching them. The person with whom
the odd card is left is the old maid. — Old man's beard. (Bot.) (a) The traveler's joy So named
from the abundant long feathery awns of its fruit. (b) The Tillandsia usneoides. See Tillandsia. —
Old man's head (Bot.), a columnar cactus native of Mexico, covered towards the top with long white
hairs. — Old red sandstone (Geol.), a series of red sandstone rocks situated below the rocks of
the Carboniferous age and comprising various strata of siliceous sandstones and conglomerates. See
Sandstone, and the Chart of Geology. — Old school, a school or party belonging to a former time,
or preserving the character, manner, or opinions of a former time; as, a gentleman of the old school; —
used also adjectively; as, Old-School Presbyterians. — Old sledge, an old and well-known game of
