old
- adjective
- /oʊld/
- She gained invaluable insights from her experiences as an old teacher in the classroom, having taught for over thirty years.
- older and more experienced
Examples
-
In that case, can you explain to me why the sun is over there when, by this old sailor's reckoning, it should be over there?
-
We're dealing here with the age-old conflict between reason and emotion.
Academic text (2011) -
It's an old street cop trick.
-
Guess old habits die hard.
-
Well, these are new tricks, and I am an old dog.
-
"If you really want to know, I'm hoping my old skills are still working."
Fiction book (1992) -
"Go ahead, David," Reynolds said, "you're an old football player, get back there."
Academic text (2011) -
"Make sure you don't fall asleep by the fire," the old man warned the boy.
Fiction book (1992) -
In addition, paraprofessionals were generally older and more experienced in their positions than the first-year teachers.
Academic text (2012) -
He's an old friend.
Synonyms
Someone who has a lot of skill and knowledge from doing something many times
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
A person who is very like one of their parents in looks or behaviour
- Informal
A modest, joking way to talk about yourself when you get praise or attention
- Informal
New ideas put into an old way that do not bring real change
- Offensive
A saying that claims a girl who has started her period is ready for sex and to have children
Compounds
The later part of life after middle age when people often retire and may lose strength
Books written before Jesus that form the first part of the Bible and are sacred to Jews and Christians
A person who has done something for a long time and is respected for their experience
The parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa that Europeans knew before they discovered the Americas
- Slur
A white man often in the southern US who is friendly but supports his group and resists change
- Offensive
An informal rude word for an older woman who is tough and speaks her mind
- Offensive
An older man who makes sexual comments or touches younger people when they do not want him to
- Literature
An early form of the language spoken and written in England and southern Scotland before about AD 1100
A region of the southern United States before the Civil War known for plantations and slavery
- Literature
Men from the same schools who use connections to help each other get jobs and often keep others out
A famous geyser in Yellowstone National Park that shoots hot water and steam about every hour
- Literature
An ancient powerful being far older than humans that is dangerous or ignores people
- Offensive
A person who prefers the usual way of doing things and does not accept new ideas
A nickname for Andrew Jackson, the 7th United States president known for being tough
- UK
The central court in London that hears serious criminal trials for England and Wales
How Experienced
Surface Forms
Etymology
Old comes from the old word eald meaning 'long' or 'having spent a long time doing something'. So calling someone an 'old hand' means they have long experience, which is why old can mean skilled or experienced.