Old Gentleman
- noun
:
viejo caballero
- While walking in the park, I encountered an old gentleman who shared fascinating stories from his youth.
Like one day this, this, this older gentleman, I was at my brother's cafe and he tapped me on the shoulder and he said, are you happy?
- Like one day this, this, this older gentleman, I was at my brother's cafe and he tapped me on the shoulder and he said, are you happy?
- And then the the older gentleman gives him advice saying like basically criticizes Louis for saying why are you moping around?
Examples
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Like one day this, this, this older gentleman, I was at my brother's cafe and he tapped me on the shoulder and he said, are you happy?
-
I'm a junior at the time at Yale and doing this office work and the Dean of engineering was this older gentleman, Alan Brombley.
-
And then the the older gentleman gives him advice saying like basically criticizes Louis for saying why are you moping around?
-
The old gentleman at the library always offers great advice on choosing the right books.
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During the celebration, the old gentleman gave a heartfelt speech that inspired everyone in attendance.
Synonyms
162
3.1
An older person who is respected for age and experience
66
4.2
A man respected for good judgment who gives advice to others
42
8.1
An informal, loving name for a grandfather
11
8.2
A friendly name people use for an older man in Britain
7
5.4
A respected older man who is a former leader and whose advice people value
3
2.1
An old small man who many people like
1
7.6
An older man with a gray beard who is respected for wisdom
1
9.1
An old man people speak about in a friendly or polite way
1
3.7
An older person respected for their knowledge and good sense
1
5.1
A person who has done a job or activity for many years and knows it well
A respected older person with grey hair who gives advice
A man who is pleasant, helpful, and easy to talk to
How Affectionate
- Informal
703
1.0
823
1.0
- Informal
3
2.1
380
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly predictable from combining 'old' (elderly) with 'gentleman' (a courteous or distinguished man); together they denote a respectful reference to an elderly man. This is a straightforward adjectival modification pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand the MWE.
Etymology
Old Gentleman comes from old polite speech where gentleman meant a respected man and adding old showed age and extra respect. So the picture of a wise, kind elder explains why we use it today as 'a respectful term for a wise or respected older man'.