Old \Old\, a. [Compar. Older; superl. Oldest.] [OE. old,
ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS. ald, OFries. ald,
old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up,
Icel. ala to bear, produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish.
Cf. Adult, Alderman, Aliment, Auld, Elder.]
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1. Not young; advanced far in years or life; having lived
till toward the end of the ordinary term of living; as, an
old man; an old age; an old horse; an old tree.
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Let not old age disgrace my high desire. --Sir P.
Sidney.
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The melancholy news that we grow old. --Young.
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2. Not new or fresh; not recently made or produced; having
existed for a long time; as, old wine; an old friendship.
"An old acquaintance." --Camden.
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3. Formerly existing; ancient; not modern; preceding;
original; as, an old law; an old custom; an old promise.
"The old schools of Greece." --Milton. "The character of
the old Ligurians." --Addison.
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4. Continued in life; advanced in the course of existence;
having (a certain) length of existence; -- designating the
age of a person or thing; as, an infant a few hours old; a
cathedral centuries old.
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And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?
--Cen. xlvii.
8.
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Note: In this use old regularly follows the noun that
designates the age; as, she was eight years old.
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5. Long practiced; hence, skilled; experienced; cunning; as,
an old offender; old in vice.
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Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old.
--Milton.
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6. Long cultivated; as, an old farm; old land, as opposed to
new land, that is, to land lately cleared.
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7. Worn out; weakened or exhausted by use; past usefulness;
as, old shoes; old clothes.
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8. More than enough; abundant. [Obs.]
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If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have
old turning the key. --Shak.
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9. Aged; antiquated; hence, wanting in the mental vigor or
other qualities belonging to youth; -- used disparagingly
as a term of reproach.
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10. Old-fashioned; wonted; customary; as of old; as, the good
old times; hence, colloquially, gay; jolly.
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11. Used colloquially as a term of cordiality and
familiarity. "Go thy ways, old lad." --Shak.
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Old age, advanced years; the latter period of life.
Old bachelor. See Bachelor, 1.
Old Catholics. See under Catholic.
Old English. See under English. n., 2.
Old Nick, Old Scratch, the devil.
Old lady (Zool.), a large European noctuid moth (Mormo
maura).
Old maid.
(a) A woman, somewhat advanced in years, who has never
been married; a spinster.
(b) (Bot.) A West Indian name for the pink-flowered
periwinkle (Vinca rosea).
(c) A simple game of cards, played by matching them. The
person with whom the odd card is left is the old
maid.
Old man's beard. (Bot.)
(a) The traveler's joy (Clematis Vitalba). So named
from the abundant long feathery awns of its fruit.
(b) The Tillandsia usneoides. See Tillandsia.
Old man's head (Bot.), a columnar cactus (Pilocereus
senilis), native of Mexico, covered towards the top with
long white hairs.
Old red sandstone (Geol.), a series of red sandstone rocks
situated below the rocks of the Carboniferous age and
comprising various strata of siliceous sandstones and
conglomerates. See Sandstone, and the Chart of
Geology.
Old school, a school or party belonging to a former time,
or preserving the character, manner, or opinions of a
former time; as, a gentleman of the old school; -- used
also adjectively; as, Old-School Presbyterians.
Old sledge, an old and well-known game of cards, called
also all fours, and high, low, Jack, and the game.
Old squaw (Zool.), a duck (Clangula hyemalis) inhabiting
the northern parts of both hemispheres. The adult male is
varied with black and white and is remarkable for the
length of its tail. Called also longtailed duck, south
southerly, callow, hareld, and old wife.
Old style. (Chron.) See the Note under Style.
Old Testament. See Old Testament under Testament, and
see tanak.
Old wife. [In the senses
b and
c written also oldwife.]
(a) A prating old woman; a gossip.
Refuse profane and old wives' fables. --1 Tim.
iv. 7.
(b) (Zool.) The local name of various fishes, as the
European black sea bream (Cantharus lineatus), the
American alewife, etc.
(c) (Zool.) A duck; the old squaw.
Old World, the Eastern Hemisphere.
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Syn: Aged; ancient; pristine; primitive; antique; antiquated;
old-fashioned; obsolete. See Ancient.
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Love \Love\ (l[u^]v), n. [OE. love, luve, AS. lufe, lufu; akin
to E. lief, believe, L. lubet, libet, it pleases, Skr. lubh
to be lustful. See Lief.]
1. A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which
delights or commands admiration; pre["e]minent kindness or
devotion to another; affection; tenderness; as, the love
of brothers and sisters.
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Of all the dearest bonds we prove
Thou countest sons' and mothers' love
Most sacred, most Thine own. --Keble.
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2. Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate
affection for, one of the opposite sex.
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He on his side
Leaning half-raised, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamored. --Milton.
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3. Courtship; -- chiefly in the phrase to make love, i. e.,
to court, to woo, to solicit union in marriage.
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Demetrius . . .
Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
And won her soul. --Shak.
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4. Affection; kind feeling; friendship; strong liking or
desire; fondness; good will; -- opposed to hate; often
with of and an object.
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Love, and health to all. --Shak.
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Smit with the love of sacred song. --Milton.
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The love of science faintly warmed his breast.
--Fenton.
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5. Due gratitude and reverence to God.
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Keep yourselves in the love of God. --Jude 21.
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6. The object of affection; -- often employed in endearing
address; as, he held his love in his arms; his greatest
love was reading. "Trust me, love." --Dryden.
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Open the temple gates unto my love. --Spenser.
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7. Cupid, the god of love; sometimes, Venus.
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Such was his form as painters, when they show
Their utmost art, on naked Lores bestow. --Dryden.
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Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love.
--Shak.
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8. A thin silk stuff. [Obs.] --Boyle.
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9. (Bot.) A climbing species of Clematis (Clematis
Vitalba).
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10. Nothing; no points scored on one side; -- used in
counting score at tennis, etc.
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He won the match by three sets to love. --The
Field.
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11. Sexual intercourse; -- a euphemism.
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Note: Love is often used in the formation of compounds, in
most of which the meaning is very obvious; as,
love-cracked, love-darting, love-killing, love-linked,
love-taught, etc.
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A labor of love, a labor undertaken on account of regard
for some person, or through pleasure in the work itself,
without expectation of reward.
Free love, the doctrine or practice of consorting with one
of the opposite sex, at pleasure, without marriage. See
Free love.
Free lover, one who avows or practices free love.
In love, in the act of loving; -- said esp. of the love of
the sexes; as, to be in love; to fall in love.
Love apple (Bot.), the tomato.
Love bird (Zool.), any one of several species of small,
short-tailed parrots, or parrakeets, of the genus
Agapornis, and allied genera. They are mostly from
Africa. Some species are often kept as cage birds, and are
celebrated for the affection which they show for their
mates.
Love broker, a person who for pay acts as agent between
lovers, or as a go-between in a sexual intrigue. --Shak.
Love charm, a charm for exciting love. --Ld. Lytton.
Love child. an illegitimate child. --Jane Austen.
Love day, a day formerly appointed for an amicable
adjustment of differences. [Obs.] --Piers Plowman.
--Chaucer.
Love drink, a love potion; a philter. --Chaucer.
Love favor, something given to be worn in token of love.
Love feast, a religious festival, held quarterly by some
religious denominations, as the Moravians and Methodists,
in imitation of the agap[ae] of the early Christians.
Love feat, the gallant act of a lover. --Shak.
Love game, a game, as in tennis, in which the vanquished
person or party does not score a point.
Love grass. [G. liebesgras.] (Bot.) Any grass of the genus
Eragrostis.
Love-in-a-mist. (Bot.)
(a) An herb of the Buttercup family (Nigella Damascena)
having the flowers hidden in a maze of finely cut
bracts.
(b) The West Indian Passiflora f[oe]tida, which has
similar bracts.
Love-in-idleness (Bot.), a kind of violet; the small pansy.
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A little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love's wound;
And maidens call it love-in-idleness. --Shak.
Love juice, juice of a plant supposed to produce love.
--Shak.
Love knot, a knot or bow, as of ribbon; -- so called from
being used as a token of love, or as a pledge of mutual
affection. --Milman.
Love lass, a sweetheart.
Love letter, a letter of courtship. --Shak.
Love-lies-bleeding (Bot.), a species of amaranth
(Amarantus melancholicus).
Love match, a marriage brought about by love alone.
Love potion, a compounded draught intended to excite love,
or venereal desire.
Love rites, sexual intercourse. --Pope
Love scene, an exhibition of love, as between lovers on the
stage.
Love suit, courtship. --Shak.
Of all loves, for the sake of all love; by all means.
[Obs.] "Mrs. Arden desired him of all loves to come back
again." --Holinshed.
The god of love, or The Love god, Cupid.
To make love, to engage in sexual intercourse; -- a
euphemism.
To make love to, to express affection for; to woo. "If you
will marry, make your loves to me." --Shak.
To play for love, to play a game, as at cards, without
stakes. "A game at piquet for love." --Lamb.
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Syn: Affection; friendship; kindness; tenderness; fondness;
delight.
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