ole
gb/ˈoʊl/ us/ˈoʊl/
B2
English
~ 9400
olé, öreg, jó öreg
B2
INFORMAL
1
olé
A2
The dancer finished with a spin, and the audience shouted, "Ole!"
A táncos egy pördüléssel fejezte be, a közönség pedig azt kiáltotta: „Olé!”
When their team scored in the last minute, the crowd erupted in chants of "Ole! Ole! Ole!"
Amikor a csapatuk az utolsó percben gólt szerzett, a tömeg rázendített: „Olé! Olé! Olé!”
The guitarist hit the final chord, and someone in the front row yelled, "Ole!" in admiration.
As the matador made a perfect pass, the spectators rose to their feet, crying, "Ole!"
You could hear people shouting "Ole!" every time the striker dribbled past another defender.
Learner examples
The fans shouted "Ole!" when the player scored.
A szurkolók azt kiabálták, hogy „Olé!”, amikor a játékos gólt szerzett.
People cried "Ole!" at the end of the song.
Az emberek a dal végén azt kiáltották, hogy „Olé!”
The crowd yelled "Ole!" after the big move.
Everyone stood up and shouted "Ole!" together.
She smiled when she heard the loud "Ole!" from the audience.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'ole' is a normal way to write 'old' in standard English; this is incorrect in formal writing. They may also forget that 'ole!' is mainly used in specific cultural contexts like Spanish-influenced sports and performances, not for every kind of success.
Meaning
Shout of praise or excitement
Collocations
shout 'ole!'
|cries of 'ole!'
|chanting 'ole!'
|'ole!' from the crowd
|fans yelling 'ole!'
Synonyms
bravo (Common in performances such as theater or music; slightly more formal and less tied to sports culture.)
|
hooray (More general celebration word in English; often used for success, not specifically for artistic or sports performances.)
Antonyms
boo (An exclamation used to show disapproval or dislike, the opposite attitude of praise expressed by 'ole!'.)
Themes
sports
|music
|celebrations
|communication
Definition
A shout people make to show they are very happy with a performance or action, especially at sports or music events.
Used as a loud exclamation to show strong approval, excitement, or encouragement, especially during a performance or sporting event.
B2
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
ole [noun]
He still drives that same ole truck he bought in college.
Még mindig ugyanazt az öreg teherautót vezeti, amit még az egyetemen vett.
We sat on the porch and talked about the good ole days.
Kiültünk a verandára, és a régi szép időkről beszélgettünk.
Look at that big ole dog lying in the sun.
I can't throw away this ole jacket; it's my favorite.
That’s just my ole mom checking in on me again.
Learner examples
He loves his ole car and will not sell it.
Szereti az öreg autóját, és nem akarja eladni.
We listened to some ole songs from our childhood.
A gyerekkorunkból való régi dalokat hallgattunk.
She wore her ole shoes to work again.
They live in the same ole house by the river.
I always take my ole laptop when I travel.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes copy 'ole' from songs or social media and use it in school essays or formal emails. In standard written English, only 'old' is correct. 'Ole' should be kept for dialogue, dialect writing, or when you deliberately want a very informal, folksy tone.
Meaning
Non-standard, friendly form of 'old'
Collocations
good ole boy
|good ole days
|big ole truck
|same ole story
|little ole me
|dear ole dad
Synonyms
old (The standard, correct spelling for all normal and formal uses; 'ole' mainly shows dialect or a playful tone.)
|
aged (More formal and often used for people or things noticeably advanced in years; does not have the friendly, folksy feeling of 'ole'.)
Antonyms
new (Describes something that has not existed for long, the opposite of something 'ole' or long-known.)
Themes
daily life
|relationships
|informality
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A casual way to write 'old', often to show warm or friendly feeling, used only in very informal English.
A non-standard spelling of 'old', used in some dialects and informal writing to show a relaxed, friendly, or affectionate tone toward a person or thing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ole
IPA
GB/ˈoʊl/
US/ˈoʊl/
Syllables & stress
ole (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ole)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ole
- Comparative: oler
- Superlative: olest
Word family
Forms
oler
adjective
olest
adjective
Expressions
big ole
1/bˈɪɡ ˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
informal
Very big, said casually
A casual, friendly way to say that something is very big.
Examples
- He drove up in a big ole pickup truck covered in mud.
- They brought a big ole cake to the party and everyone took a huge slice.
- A big ole storm cloud moved in and blocked out the sun.
good ole boy
1/ɡˈʊd ˈoʊl bˈɔɪ/
idiom
informal
Traditional Southern male stereotype
A man, usually from the Southern United States, who is friendly and likes simple, traditional ways, but often has old-fashioned views.
Examples
- He plays the part of the good ole boy, drinking beer on the porch and talking football all night.
- The candidate tried to present himself as a good ole boy who understands small-town life.
- Behind his good ole boy image, he is actually a very clever businessman.
little ole
1/lˈɪtəl ˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
informal
Small, often harmless or unimportant
A casual way to say something or someone is small, often to make it sound weak, harmless, or not important.
Examples
- What’s that little ole dog going to do against a bear?
- I’m just a little ole teacher trying to pay my bills like everyone else.
- She drove her little ole car all the way across the country.
same ole same ole
1/sˈeɪm ˈoʊl sˈeɪm ˈoʊl/
idiom
informal
Nothing new; just as usual
Used to say that nothing has changed and everything is as usual, often in a bored or tired way.
Examples
- "How's work?" "Ah, same ole same ole—meetings and more emails."
- We met for coffee and complained about the same ole same ole in our offices.
- Life in that small town was just the same ole same ole, day after day.