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Glite Dictionary
auld langsyne

auld langsyne

9.9
Old times that people remember with a warm feeling, often at New Year
  • noun
  • /ɔld lɛŋˈzaɪn/
  • Literature
translation icon : tiempos pasados
  • Every New Year's Eve, we sing auld langsyne to remember cherished moments.

Examples

  • The song auld langsyne always brings back fond memories.

  • The reunion was filled with laughter and stories of auld langsyne.

  • He often looks back on his college days as the best of auld langsyne.

  • We often reminisce about auld langsyne during family gatherings.

  • Every New Year's Eve, we sing auld langsyne to remember cherished moments.

  • The reunion was filled with laughter and stories of auld langsyne.

  • We often reminisce about auld langsyne during family gatherings.

Synonyms

old days
vsauld langsyne
215 2.1

A time in the past you remember with warm feelings

refers to multiple long-ago times rather than one period
old times
vsauld langsyne
53 3.4

The past that people remember with warm feelings

refers specifically to times long ago, often recalled with affection
good old days
vsauld langsyne
  • Informal
49 4.1

A past time people remember as happier or simpler

recalls past times with nostalgia without claiming they were better
lang syne
vsauld langsyne
  • Archaic
4 9.9

The distant past remembered with warm feelings

focuses more on past times remembered with warmth or affection
langsyne
vsauld langsyne
  • Archaic
9.9

Past times people remember with warm feelings

includes both nostalgia and affection when recalling past times

How Distant

auld langsyne
  • Literature
9.9
bygone
16 8.0
past
∞ 1.0
recently
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

auld langsyne singular
auld langsynes plural

Morphology

auld + langsyne

The compound is compositionally built from 'auld' (old) + 'langsyne' (long since/long-ago times), so a learner who knows both constituent meanings can directly infer 'times long past' or 'old times remembered with nostalgia.' Although archaic/Scots in form, the semantic combination is transparent and parallels cross-linguistic expressions for 'old times.'

Etymology

Auld langsyne comes from old Scots words auld meaning 'old' and langsyne meaning 'long ago', and it is the name of a famous song people sing at New Year to remember past friends and happy times. So the phrase now means 'times long past' or remembering the good old days.