1having lived for a long time; no longer young:the old man lay propped up on cushionsSee also elder1, eldest.
made or built long ago:the old quarter of the town
possessed or used for a long time:he gave his old clothes away
informal, chiefly US boring or tiresome, especially as a result of repetition or overfamiliarity:I wish she’d shut up—it’s getting old
2 [attributive] belonging to the past; former:valuation under the old rating system was inexact
used to refer to a thing which has been replaced by something similar:we moved back into our old house
dating from far back; long-established or known:we greeted each other like old friendsI get sick of the same old routine
denoting someone who formerly attended a specified school:an old Etonian
(of a form of a language) as used in former or earliest times.
3 [in combination] of a specified age:he was fourteen years olda seven-month-old baby
[as noun, in combination] a person or animal of the age specified:a nineteen-year-old
4 [attributive] informal used to express affection, familiarity, or contempt:good old MumI didn’t like playing with silly old dolls
any old
any item of a specified type (used to show that no particular individual is in question):any old room would have done
any old how
in no particular order:they’ve dropped things just any old how
as old as the hills
very old (often used in exaggerated statements):the technology we’re using is as old as the hills
be old enough to be someone's father (or mother)
informal be much older than someone (used to suggest that a romantic or sexual relationship between the people concerned is inappropriate):he was furious with her for wasting herself on a man old enough to be her father
1in or belonging to the past:he was more reticent than of old
2for a long time:they knew him of old
the old days
a period in the past, typically regarded as significantly better or worse than the present:it was easier in the old dayswe are less confident than in the good old days
the Old Firm
informal (in Scotland) a name for Celtic and Rangers Football Clubs: [as modifier]:an Old Firm match
you can't put an old head on young shoulders
proverb you can’t expect a young person to have the wisdom or maturity associated with older people.