NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*The usual comparative and superlative forms of old are older and oldest *old通常的比较级和最高级形式是older和oldest
*My brother is older than me. 我哥哥比我年龄大.
* The cathedral is the oldest building in the city. 这座大教堂是城里最古老的建筑. When comparing the ages of people, especially of members of a family, elder and eldest are often used, as adjectives and pronouns. 在比较人的年龄时, 特别是对于家庭成员, 经常使用elder和eldest, 用作形容词和代词. They cannot be used with than and as adjectives they can only be used before the noun 这两个词不可与than连用; 作形容词时, 只能用于名词前
*My elder sister lives in Canada. 我姐姐住在加拿大.
* He was the elder of her two sons. 他是她两个儿子中的长子.
* I'm the eldest in the family. 我是全家年纪最大的.

/əʊld; old/
adj (-er, -est) =>Usage at elder1 用法见elder1.
1 (with a period of time or with how 与表示一段时间的词或how连用) of (a particular) age （某）年龄的
*He's forty years old. 他四十岁了.
* At fifteen years old he left school. 他十五岁时中学毕业了.
* How old are you? 你多大岁数了?
* A seven-year-old (ie A child who is seven years of age) should be able to read. 七岁的儿童应当识字了.
2 having lived a long time; advanced in age; no longer young 老的; 年老的
*Old people cannot be so active as young people. 老年人无法像年轻人那样活跃.
* He's too old for you to marry. 他比你大得多, 你不宜嫁给他.
* What will she do when she is/gets/grows old? 她年老时要做什么呢?
3 (a) having been in existence or use for a long time （存在或使用）很久的, 陈旧的
*old customs, beliefs, habits, etc 一贯的风俗、信仰、习惯等
* old clothes, cars, houses 旧衣物、汽车、房子
* This carpet's getting rather old now. 这块地毯现在很旧了.
(b) [attrib 作定语] belonging to past times; not recent or modern 古老的; 古代的; 旧时的
*old religious practices 古老的宗教活动
* Things were different in the`old days. 在过去情况就不同了.
4 [attrib 作定语] known for a long time; familiar 早已认识的; 熟悉的
*an old friend of mine, ie one I've known for a long time, but not necessarily old in years 我的老朋友（不一定年纪大）
* We're old rivals, ie We've been rivals for a long time. 我们是老对手了.
5 former; previous (but not necessarily old in years) 以前的, 从前的（不一定年代久远）
*in my old job 在我以前的那份工作中
* at my old school 在我从前的学校里
* I prefer the chair in its old place. 我觉得这把椅子还是放在老地方好.
* We had a larger garden at our old house. 我们以前住的房子花园大. =>Usage 见所附用法.
6 [attrib 作定语] (infml or joc 口或谑) (used as a term of affection or intimacy 用作表示亲昵或亲密关系的用语)
*Dear old John! 亲爱的约翰!
* Good old Angela! 可爱的安杰拉!
* You're a funny old thing! 你真是个活宝!
7 [attrib 作定语] (infml 口) (used for emphasis 用以加强语气)
*Any old thing (ie Anything whatever) will do. 什么东西都行.
8 (fml 文) having much experience or practice 有经验的; 老练的
*old in diplomacy 擅长外交事务的
* an old trooper 老练的装甲兵.
9 (idm 习语) `any old how (infml 口) carelessly; untidily 随便地; 胡乱地
*The books were scattered round the room any old how. 屋里到处乱放着书. a chip off the old block => chip1. a dirty old man => dirty1. for old times' `sake because of tender or sentimental memories of one's past 看在旧日情分上. the `good/`bad old days an earlier period of time (in one's life or in history) seen as better/worse than the present 过去的好[坏]日子
*The friends met occasionally to chat about the good old days at school. 朋友偶尔相聚畅谈上学时的大好时光. the grand old man => grand. have/give sb a high old time => high. money for jam/old rope => money. no fool like an old fool => fool1. of `old of, in or since former times 从前的; 过去; 自古以来
*in days of old 在古时
* We know him of old, ie have known him for a long time and so know him well. 我们老早就认识他. (as) old as the `hills very old; ancient 很老的; 古老的
*This dress is as old as the hills. 这件连衣裙算是老古董了. ,old beyond one's `years more mature or wise than is usual or expected for one's age 超常的成熟或聪明. old `boy, `chap, `man, etc (dated infml 旧, 口) (used esp by older men of the middle and upper classes as a familiar form of address when talking to another man 尤作中上阶层年长男子称呼另一男子的用语)
*`Excuse me, old man, can I borrow your newspaper?' 老兄, 请问能借你的报纸看看吗? (be) old enough to be sb's `father/`mother (be) significantly older than sb 比某人年龄大很多
*You can't marry him! He's old enough to be your father! 你可不能嫁给他! 他那岁数都能当你父亲了! (be) old enough to know `better (be) old enough to act in a more sensible way than one did 已经长大该懂好歹了
*Have you been drawing on the walls? I thought you were old enough to know better. 墙上是你画的吧? 我还以为你都懂事了呢. old `hat (infml derog 口, 贬) not new or original; old-fashioned 不新; 非独创的; 老式的
*His ideas are all terribly old hat. 他的想法都老掉牙了. (have) an ,old head on young `shoulders (be) a more mature person than is expected for one's age 少年老成. an old `trout (infml 口) bad-tempered or unpleasant old person, esp a woman 脾气坏的或讨人厌的老人（尤指女人）. an old `wives' tale old and usu foolish idea or belief 陈腐的且多为愚蠢的想法或观念. one of the `old school old-fashioned or conservative person 老派人物; 保守人物. pay/settle an old `score have one's revenge for a wrong done to one in the past 算旧帐; 报仇. rake over old ashes => rake1. ring out the old year and ring in the new => ring2. the same old story => same1. teach an old dog new tricks => teach. tough as old boots => tough. young and old => young.

NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*Compare old, aged, elderly, ancient and antique. 试比较old、aged、elderly、ancient、antique. *Old has the widest use and can be applied to people, animals and things. *old使用最广, 可用于人、动物和事物. It usually indicates that somebody or something has lived or existed for a long time 这个词通常指生活或存在已久的人或事物
*an old woman, dog, church 老的妇人、狗、教堂. It may describe a person who has been known for a long time but is not necessarily old in years 也可用以指早已认识的人, 但不一定年老
*She's an old friend of ours. 她是我们的老朋友. Old can also mean `former' or `previous'*old还可表示｀先前的＇或｀早先的＇
*I was much happier in my old job. 我做我原先的那份工作要带劲得多. Aged is more formal than old and is used of very old people who have possibly become physically weak.*aged比old文些, 用以指年老的人, 可能身体亦衰弱. If one wishes to be polite and respectful, one can describe old people as elderly. 若想客气些、尊敬些, 可用elderly来形容老人. Ancient and antique are usually only applied to things. *ancient和antique通常仅用于事物. We call ancient something that existed a long time ago *ancient用以形容经历了久远年代的事物
*an ancient civilization 古老的文明
* ancient history, customs, etc 古代的历史、习俗等. Antique describes an object which has survived from the past and is therefore valuable today *antique用以形容古代留传下来的器物, 因而如今十分宝贵
*antique furniture, silver, etc 古董家具、银币等.

adj comparativeoldersuperlativeoldest

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1【not new】
2【not young】
3【age】
4【that you used to have】
5【familiar】
6【very well known】
7 the old days
8 the good old days/the bad old days
9 be/feel/look like your old self
10 any old thing/place/time etc
11 any old how/way
12 good/poor/silly old etc somebody
13 a good old something
14 old devil/rascal etc
15 old fool/bastard/bat etc
16 the old guard
17 be an old hand (at something)
18 be old before your time
19 for old times' sake
20 the old country
21 an old head on young shoulders
22 pay/settle an old score
23 of/from the old school
24 old wives' tale
25 of old
26 Old English/Old Icelandic etc

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[Language: Old English;Origin: eald]
【NOT NEW】
something that is old has existed or been used for a long time
≠ new
　a pair of old shoes
　Some of the houses around here are very old.
　one of our oldest traditions
　The car's getting old now, and things are starting to go wrong with it.
　That story's as old as the hills (=extremely old) .

【NOT YOUNG】
a) someone who is old has lived for a very long time
≠ young
　an old man
　a home for old people
get /grow old
　I can't run around like I used to - I must be getting old.
b) the old [plural]
people who are old
　the care of the old and sick
【AGE】
used to talk about how long a person or thing has lived or existed
5/10/50 etc years old
　I can't believe you're nearly forty years old!
　a house that's 300 years old
　How old are you?
　Are you older than Sally?
　You're old enough to get your own breakfast now.
　I'm not coming skating. I'm too old for that now.
5-year-old/10-year-old etc sb/sth
　a six-week-old baby
　a five-hundred-year old sword
sb is old enough to know better
(=used to say that you think someone should behave more sensibly)
sb is old enough to be his/her/your mother/father
(=used to say that someone is too old to be having a sexual relationship with someone else)
【THAT YOU USED TO HAVE】 [only before noun]
your old house, job, girlfriend etc is one that you used to have
= former
　I met up with one of my old girlfriends at the weekend.
　My old car was always breaking down.
　That happened when we were still in the old house.
　My old boss was awful!
old flame
(=someone with whom you used to have a romantic relationship)
【FAMILIAR】 [only before noun]
old things are things that are familiar to you because you have seen them or experienced them many times before
　It's good to get back into the old routine.
　I enjoyed seeing all the old familiar faces.
　He comes out with the same old excuses every time!
→it's the same old storyatstory
【VERY WELL KNOWN】 [only before noun]
an old friend, enemy etc is someone you have known for a long time
　Bob's an old friend of mine.
　an old colleague
　They're old rivals.
the old days
times in the past
in the old days
　In the old days people used to fetch water from the pump.
the good old days/the bad old days
an earlier time in your life, or in history, when things seemed better or worse than now
　We like to chat about the good old days.
be/feel/look like your old self
to feel or look better again after you have been ill or very unhappy
　It's good to see you looking more like your old self again.
any old thing/place/time etc
spoken used to say that it does not matter which thing, place etc you choose
　Oh, just wear any old thing.
　Phone any old time - I'm always here.
any old how/way
spoken in an untidy or careless way
　The papers had been dumped on my desk any old how.
good/poor/silly old etc sb
spoken used to talk about someone you like
　Good old Keith!
　You poor old thing!
a good old sthalsoa right old sthBrE spoken used to talk about something you enjoy
　We had a good old talk.
old devil/rascal etc
spoken used to talk about someone you like and admire
　You old devil! You were planning this all along!
old fool/bastard/bat etc
spoken not polite used to talk very rudely about someone you do not like
　the stupid old cow
the old guard
a group of people within an organization or club who do not like changes or new ideas
　He'll never manage to persuade the old guard.
be an old hand (at sth)
to have a lot of experience of something
　I'm an old hand at this game.
be old before your time
to look or behave like someone much older than you, especially because of difficulties in your life
for old times' sake
if you do something for old times' sake, you do it to remind yourself of a happy time in the past
the old country
especially AmE the country that you were born in, but that you no longer live in, used especially to mean Europe
an old head on young shoulders
BrE a young person who seems to think and behave like an older person
pay/settle an old score
to punish someone for something wrong that they did to you in the past
of/from the old school
old-fashioned and believing in old ideas and customs
　a doctor of the old school
old wives' tale
a belief based on old ideas that are now considered to be untrue
of old
literary from a long time ago in the past
　the knights of old
Old English/Old Icelandic etc
an early form of English, Icelandic etc

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WORD FOCUS: old
PEOPLE: elderly a polite word used to describe someone who is old
middle-aged aged between about 50 and 60 years old
senior citizen/senior(AmE)pensioner(BrE)retiree(AmE) someone over 60 who has stopped working
senile old and mentally ill
ancient/geriatric be getting on be past it be over the hill be no spring chicken informal words and expressionsused to describe someone who is old, often used humorously
geriatric geriatric medicine, care, hospitals etc are for old people
THINGS/PLACES: ancient ancient civilizations, cities, buildings, traditions etc existed many hundreds of years ago
prehistoric existing many thousands of years ago
antique antique furniture, jewellery etc is old and often valuable

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