Definition of "old" in English

adjective

1. Of an object, concept, relationship, etc., having existed for a relatively long period of time.

   • an old abandoned building
   • an old friend

2. Having been used and thus no longer new or unused.

   • I find that an old toothbrush is good to clean the keyboard with.

3. Having existed or lived for the specified time.

   • How old are they? She’s five years old and he's seven. We also have a young teen and a two-year-old child.
   • My great-grandfather lived to be a hundred and one years old.

4. Of an earlier time.

5. Tiresome after prolonged repetition.

   • Your constant pestering is getting old.

6. Said of subdued colors, particularly reds, pinks and oranges, as if they had faded over time.

7. A grammatical intensifier, often used in describing something positive, and combined with another adjective.

   • We're having a good old time.
   • My next car will be a big old SUV.
   • My wife makes the best little old apple pie in Texas.
   • Look at Murphy playing with newest old favorite toy; he loves it!
   • any old

8. (informal, of a person or pet) Indicating affection and familiarity.

9. Designed for a mature audience; unsuitable for children below a certain age.

10. (obsolete) Excessive, abundant.

noun

1. (with the, invariable plural only) People who are old; old beings; the older generation, taken as a group.

   • A civilised society should always look after the old in the community.

2. (slang) A person older than oneself, especially an adult in relation to a teenager.

   • Near-synonyms: geezer, oldie, oldster; see also Thesaurus:old person
   • I'm not letting an old wreck my good time today.
   • I'm not letting any olds wreck my good time today.

3. (slang, most often plural) One's parents.

   • I had to sneak out to meet my girlfriend and tell the olds I was going to the library.

4. (Australia, uncountable) A typically dark-coloured lager brewed by the traditional top-fermentation method.