Definition of old:

part of speech: adjective

Far advanced in years; aged; used of any length of time, as, How old is he? he is two years old; decayed or injured by time or long use; out of date; not new or fresh.

Usage examples:

• We hope you will make new friends, and we ask only that you won't forget the old Pauline Lester in "Marjorie Dean High School Freshman".

• Say, old man, saw you at Ford's last night. Charles Weathers Bump in "The Mermaid of Druid Lake and Other Stories".

• That is termed old which has existed long, or which existed long ago. Ancient, from the Latin, through the French, is the more stately, old from the Saxon, the more familiar word. Familiarity, on one side, is near to contempt; thus we say, an old coat, an old hat. On the other hand, familiarity is akin to tenderness, and thus old is a word of endearment; as, " the old homestead," the " old oaken bucket." " Tell me the old old story!" has been sung feelingly by millions; " tell me that ancient story" would remove it out of all touch of human sympathy. Olden is a statelier form of old and is applied almost exclusively to time, not to places, buildings, persons, etc. As regards periods of time, the familiar are also the near; thus, the old times are not too far away for familiar thought and reference; the olden times are more remote, ancient times still further removed. Gray, hoary, and moldering refer to outward and visible tokens of age. Aged applies chiefly to long- extended human life. Decrepit, gray, and hoary refer to the effects of age on the body exclusively; senile upon the mind also; as, a decrepit frame, senile garrulousness. One may be aged and neither decrepit nor senile. Elderly is applied to those who have passed middle life, but scarcely reached old age. Remote ( L. re, back or away, and moveo, move), primarily refers to space, but is extended to that which is far off in time; as, at some remote period. Venerable expresses the involuntary reverence that we yield to the majestic and long- enduring, whether in the material world or in human life and character. Compare ANTIQUE; OBSOLETE; PRIMEVAL. in "".

• All the old friends have read your letter. Alexander Irvine in "My Lady of the Chimney Corner".