Try Our Apps


Is irregardless a word?


[ohldz] /oʊldz/
Ransom Eli, 1864–1950, U.S. automobile pioneer and manufacturer.


[ohld] /oʊld/
adjective, older, oldest or elder, eldest.
far advanced in the years of one's or its life:
an old man; an old horse; an old tree.
old age.
as if or appearing to be far advanced in years:
Worry had made him old.
having lived or existed for a specified time:
a man 30 years old; a century-old organization.
Jim is our oldest boy.
having been aged for a specified time:
This whiskey is eight years old.
having been aged for a comparatively long time:
old brandy.
long known or in use:
the same old excuse.
overfamiliar to the point of tedium:
Some jokes get old fast.
belonging to the past:
the good old days.
having been in existence since the distant past:
a fine old family.
no longer in general use:
This typewriter is an old model.
of, relating to, or originating at an earlier period or date:
old maps.
prehistoric; ancient:
Old Czech.
He's an old hand at welding.
an old and trusted employee.
(of colors) dull, faded, or subdued:
old rose.
old clothes.
Physical Geography. (of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.
sedate, sensible, mature, or wise:
That child seems old beyond his years.
good old Bob; that dirty old jalopy.
Informal. (used as an intensive) great; uncommon:
a high old time.
former; having been so formerly:
a dinner for his old students.
appropriations to care for the old.
old or former time, often time long past:
days of old.
Origin of old
before 900; Middle English; Old English eald, ald; cognate with Dutch old, German alt, Gothic altheis; akin to Old Norse ala to nourish
Related forms
oldness, noun
1. Old, aged, elderly all mean well along in years. An old person has lived long, nearly to the end of the usual period of life. An aged person is very far advanced in years, and is usually afflicted with the infirmities of age. An elderly person is somewhat old, but usually has the mellowness, satisfactions, and joys of age ahead. 9. olden, early.
1. young. Unabridged
Cite This Source
Examples from the Web for Olds
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
  • He dropped immediately to his knees behind the rusting bulk of an Olds 88.

    Small World William F. Nolan
  • My daughter, she's a lidy as keeps 'erself TO 'erself, as the sayin' is, an' 'Olds 'er 'ead up.

    Hilda Wade Grant Allen
  • He had been broken, at least—and at most—as much broken as the rest of the three and four year Olds in the corral.

    Under Handicap Jackson Gregory
  • The 17 year Olds I know understand to a nicety just how dangerous a computer can be.

    Little Brother Cory Doctorow
  • So she 'Olds the brat, and I never sees it agin; and there's an ind of the bother!'

    Lucretia, Complete Edward Bulwer-Lytton
British Dictionary definitions for Olds


having lived or existed for a relatively long time: an old man, an old tradition, old wine, an old house, an old country
  1. of or relating to advanced years or a long life: old age
  2. (as collective noun; preceded by the): the old
  3. old and young, people of all ages
decrepit or senile
worn with age or use: old clothes, an old car
  1. (postpositive) having lived or existed for a specified period: a child who is six years old
  2. (in combination): a six-year-old child
  3. (as noun in combination): a six-year-old
(capital when part of a name or title) earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name: the old edition, the Old Testament, old Norwich
(capital when part of a name) designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written: Old English
(prenominal) familiar through long acquaintance or repetition: an old friend, an old excuse
practised; hardened: old in cunning
(prenominal) often preceded by good. cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiarity: good old George
(informal) (with any of several nouns) used as a familiar form of address to a person: old thing, old bean, old stick, old fellow
skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)
out-of-date; unfashionable
remote or distant in origin or time of origin: an old culture
(prenominal) former; previous: my old house was small
  1. (prenominal) established for a relatively long time: an old member
  2. (in combination): old-established
sensible, wise, or mature: old beyond one's years
(of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum relief See also youthful (sense 4), mature (sense 6)
(intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)
(of crops) harvested late
good old days, an earlier period of time regarded as better than the present
(informal) little old, indicating affection, esp humorous affection: my little old wife
(informal) the old one, the old gentleman, a jocular name for Satan
an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old): in days of old
Derived Forms
oldish, adjective
oldness, noun
Usage note
Many people nowadays prefer to talk about older people rather than old people, and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether
Word Origin
Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
Cite This Source
Word Origin and History for Olds



Old English ald (Anglian), eald (West Saxon) "aged, antique, primeval; elder, experienced," from West Germanic *althas "grown up, adult" (cf. Old Frisian ald, Gothic alþeis, Dutch oud, German alt), originally a past participle stem of a verb meaning "grow, nourish" (cf. Gothic alan "to grow up," Old Norse ala "to nourish"), from PIE root *al- "to grow, nourish" (cf. Greek aldaino "make grow, strengthen," althein, althainein "to get well;" Latin alere "to feed, nourish, bring up, increase," altus "high," literally "grown tall," almus "nurturing, nourishing," alumnus "fosterling, step-child;" Old Irish alim "I nourish").



First record of old-timer is from 1860. Expression old as the hills first recorded 1819. The good old days dates from 1828. Of old "of old times" is from late 14c. Old Glory for "the American flag" is first attested 1862. Old maid "woman who remains single well beyond the usual marrying age" is from 1520s; the card game is attested by that name from 1844. Old man "man who has lived long" is from c.1200; sense of "husband, father, boss" is from 1854, earlier (1830) it was military slang for "commanding officer;" old lady "wife, mother" is attested from c.1775. Old English is attested from 1701, originally as a type of font. Old boy originally was a former pupil of one of the English public schools. Old Testament attested from mid-14c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Slang definitions & phrases for Olds



Good; dear; well-liked: What's old Donald up to now? (1598+)

Related Terms

any old

Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
Cite This Source
Idioms and Phrases with Olds
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Cite This Source

Word of the Day

Difficulty index for Olds

Many English speakers likely know this word

Word Value for Olds

Scrabble Words With Friends

Nearby words for olds