old
Having existed for many years
Having lived or been in use for many years.
[someone/something] is [old]
- My grandparents are very old now.
- This is an old book from the 19th century.
- She wore an old coat that belonged to her mother.
- That tree is hundreds of years old.
- We visited an old castle on our trip.
- My dog is old.
- This car is old.
- The house is old.
- He is an old man.
Worn or used; not new
Not new; used for a long time and maybe not in good condition.
[something] is [old]
- These old shoes have holes in them.
- I need to replace my old phone.
- The sofa is old and faded.
- She threw away her old notebook.
- My bag is old.
- These shoes are old.
- The chair is old.
Of a particular number of years in age
Used to say how many years someone or something has lived or existed.
[someone/something] is [number] years old
- My daughter is six years old.
- The building is 200 years old.
- He was only 18 years old when he started college.
- I am 20 years old.
- The dog is 5 years old.
- This house is 100 years old.
Long-known or familiar
Known from before; familiar to you from past experience.
[someone/something] is an old [friend/etc.]
- He's an old friend from school.
- We talked about the old days when we worked together.
- It's just one of my old habits.
- She is my old friend.
- We remember the old days.
- He has an old habit.
Former; previous
From before; not current anymore.
[someone/something] is [someone's] old [job/title/etc.]
- I ran into my old boss at the store.
- He visited his old school last week.
- She still talks to her old teammates.
- This is my old job.
- I see my old teacher.
- We went to our old school.
- Base: old
- Comparative: elder, older
- Superlative: eldest, oldest
old enough to [do something]
1Of sufficient age to do something
Having enough years to be allowed or able to do something.
- You have to be old enough to drive legally.
- She’s not old enough to vote yet.
old hand at [something]
1Experienced person in an activity
Someone who has done something many times and is very skilled at it.
- She's an old hand at negotiating deals.
- He's an old hand at fixing cars.
same old same old
1Unchanged, routine situation over time
Nothing has changed; everything is the same as before, usually in a boring way.
- 'How's work?' 'Same old same old.'
- Life here is just same old same old.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
1Hard to change older habits/persons
It’s hard to change the way someone has done things for a long time, especially if they are older.
- My grandfather won't try using a smartphone— you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
- She refuses to change how she cooks; you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
as good as new
1Restored to perfect condition again
'As good as new' means like it was when it was new again.
- After the repairs, my phone was as good as new.
- The car looks as good as new after cleaning.
as good as new
2Restored to original condition despite age/use
In very good condition again, like when it was new.
- After the repairs, my bike was as good as new.
- He cleaned the watch until it was as good as new.