Old, n. Open country. [Obs.] See World. Shak.
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.]
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.
"Let not old age disgrace my high desire." Sir P. Sidney.
"The melancholy news that we grow old." Young.
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.
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.
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.
"And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?" Cen. xlvii. 8. In this use old regularly follows the noun that designates the age; as she was eight years old.
5. Long practiced; hence, skilled; experienced; cunning; as an old offender; old in vice.
"Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old." Milton.
6. Long cultivated; as an old farm; old land, as opposed to new land, that is, to land lately cleared.
7. Worn out; weakened or exhausted by use; past usefulness; as old shoes; old clothes.
8. More than enough; abundant. [Obs.]
"If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have old turning the key." Shak.
9. Aged; antiquated; hence, wanting in the mental vigor or other qualities belonging to youth; — used disparagingly as a term of reproach.
10. Old-fashioned; wonted; customary; as of old; as the good old times; hence, colloquially, gay; jolly.
11. Used colloquially as a term of cordiality and familiarity. "Go thy ways, old lad." Shak. 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 (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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 under Testament. — Old wife. [In the senses b and cwritten also oldwife.] (a) A prating old woman; a gossip.
"Refuse profane and old wives’ fables." 1 Tim. iv. 7. (b) (Zoöl.) The local name of various fishes, as the European black sea bream ( Cantharus lineatus), the American alewife, etc. (c) (Zoöl.) A duck; the old squaw. — Old World, the Eastern Hemisphere.
Syn. — Aged; ancient; pristine; primitive; antique; antiquated; old-fashioned; obsolete. See Ancient.
Olden
Old´en, a. Old; ancient; as the olden time. "A minstrel of the olden stamp." J. C. Shairp.
Olden
Old´en, v. i. To grow old; to age. [R.]
"She had oldened in that time." Thackeray.
Old-gentlemanly
Old•-gen´tle•man•ly, a. Pertaining to an old gentleman, or like one. Byron.
Old-maidish
Old•-maid´ish, a. Like an old maid; prim; precise; particular.
Old-maidism
Old•-maid´ism, n. The condition or characteristics of an old maid. G. Eliot.
Oldness
Old´ness, n. The state or quality of being old; old age.
Oldster
Old´ster, n. [Cf. Youngster.] An old person. [Jocular] H. Kingsley.
Old-womanish
Old•-wom•an•ish, a. Like an old woman; anile. — Old•-wom´an•ish•ness, n.
Olea
O´le•a, n. [L. olive. See Olive.] (Bot.) A genus of trees including the olive. The Chinese Olea fragrans, noted for its fragrance, and the American devilwood ( Olea Americana) are now usually referred to another genus ( Osmanthus).
Oleaginous
O•le•ag•i•nous, a. [L. oleaginus, oleagineus, belonging to the olive, fr. olea olive: cf. F. oleagineux. See Olive, Oil.] Having the nature or qualities of oil; oily; unctuous.
Oleamen
O•le•a´men, n. [L.] (Med.) A soft ointment prepared from oil. Dunglison.
Oleandrine
O•le•an´drine, n. (Chem.) One of several alkaloids found in the leaves of the oleander.
Oleaster
O•le•as´ter, n. [L., fr. olea olive tree. See Olive, Oil.] (Bot.) (a) The wild olive tree ( Olea Europea, var. sylvestris). (b) Any species of the genus Elaeagus. See Eleagnus. The small silvery berries of the common species ( Elaeagnus hortensis) are called Trebizond dates, and are made into cakes by the Arabs.
Olecranal
O•lec´ra•nal, a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the olecranon.
Olefiant
O•le´fi•ant, a. [F. olefiant, fr.L. oleum oil + -ficare (in comp.). Cf. -Fy.] (Chem.) Forming or producing an oil; specifically, designating a colorless gaseous hydrocarbon called ethylene. [Archaic]
Olefine
O´le•fine, n. [From Olefiant.] (Chem.) Olefiant gas or ethylene; hence, by extension, any one of the series of unsaturated hydrocarbons of which ethylene is a type. See Ethylene.
Olein
O´le•in, n. [L. oleum oil: cf. F. oleine.] (Physiol. Chem.) A fat, liquid at ordinary temperatures, but solidifying at temperatures below 0° C., found abundantly in both the animal and vegetable kingdoms (see Palmitin). It dissolves solid fats, especially at 30-40° C. Chemically, olein is a glyceride of oleic acid; and, as three molecules of the acid are united to one molecule of glyceryl to form the fat, it is technically known as triolein. It is also called elain.
Olent
O´lent, a. [L. olens, p. pr. of olere to smell.] Scented. [R.] R. Browning.
Oleoptene
O•le•op´tene, n. [L. oleum oil + Cr. fleeting.] (Chem.) See Eleoptene. [R.]
Oleosity
O•le•os´i•ty, n. The state or quality of being oily or fat; fatness. [R.] B. Jonson.
Olf, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.) The European bullfinch. [Prov.Eng.]
Olfaction
Ol•fac´tion, n. [See Olfactory.] (Physiol.) The sense by which the impressions made on the olfactory organs by the odorous particles in the atmosphere are perceived.
Olfactory
Ol•fac´to•ry, a. [L. olfactus, p. p. of olfacere to smell; olere to have a smell + facere to make. See Odor, and Fact.] (Physiol.) Of, pertaining to, or connected with, the sense of smell; as the olfactory nerves; the olfactory cells. Olfactory organ (Anat.), an organ for smelling. In vertebrates the olfactory organs are more or less complicated sacs, situated in the front part of the head and lined with epithelium innervated by the olfactory (or first cranial) nerves, and sensitive to odoriferous particles conveyed to it in the air or in water.
Olifant
Ol´i•fant, n. [OF.]
1. An elephant. [Obs.]
2. An ancient horn, made of ivory.
Oligandrous
Ol•i•gan´drous, a. [ Oligo- + Gr.,, man, male.] (Bot.) Having few stamens.
Oliganthous
Ol•i•gan´thous, a. [ Oligo- + Gr. flower.] (Bot.) Having few flowers.
Oligarch
Ol•i•garch, n. A member of an oligarchy; one of the rulers in an oligarchical government.
Oligarchal
Ol•i•gar´chal, a. Oligarchic. Glover. { Ol•i•gar´chic, Ol•i•gar´chic•al } a. [Gr. : cf. F. oligarchique. See Oligarchy.] Of or pertaining to oligarchy, or government by a few. "Oligarchical exiles." Jowett (Thucyd. ).
Oligarchist
Ol´i•gar•chist, n. An advocate or supporter of oligarchy.
Oligist
Ol´i•gist, n. [See Oligist, a. ] (Min.) Hematite or specular iron ore; — prob. so called in allusion to its feeble magnetism, as compared with magnetite. { Ol´i•gist, Ol•i•gis´tic } a. [Gr., superl. of few, little: cf. F. oligiste.] (Min.) Of or pertaining to hematite.
Oligo-
Ol´i•go- A combining form from Gr., few, little, small.
Oligocene
Ol´i•go•cene, a. [ Oligo- + Gr. new, recent.] (Geol.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, certain strata which occupy an intermediate position between the Eocene and Miocene periods. — n. The Oligocene period. See the Chart of Geology.
Oligochete
Ol´i•go•chete, a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Oligochaeta.
Oligoclase
Ol´i•go•clase, n. [ Oligo- + Gr. fracture, fr. to break.] (Min.) A triclinic soda-lime feldspar. See Feldspar.
Oligopetalous
Ol•i•go•pet´al•ous, a. [ Oligo- + petal.] (Bot.) Having few petals.
Oligosepalous
Ol•i•go•sep´al•ous, a. [ Oligo- + sepal.] (Bot.) Having few sepals.
Oligospermous
Ol•i•go•sper´mous, a. [ Oligo- + Gr. a seed.] (Bot.) Having few seeds.
Oligotokous
Ol•i•got´o•kous, a. [ Oligo- + Gr. offspring.] (Zoöl.) Producing few young.
Olio
O´li•o, n. [Sp. olla a round earthen pot, a dish of boiled or stewed meat, fr. L. olla a pot, dish. Cf. Olla, Olla-podrida.]
1. A dish of stewed meat of different kinds. [Obs.]
"Besides a good olio, the dishes were trifling." Evelyn.
2. A mixture; a medley. Dryden.
3. (Mus.) A collection of miscellaneous pieces.
Olive
Ol´ive, n. [F., fr. L. oliva, akin to Gr. . See Oil.]
1. (Bot.) (a) A tree ( Olea Europaea) with small oblong or elliptical leaves, axillary clusters of flowers, and oval, one-seeded drupes. The tree has been cultivated for its fruit for thousands of years, and its branches are the emblems of peace. The wood is yellowish brown and beautifully variegated. (b) The fruit of the olive. It has been much improved by cultivation, and is used for making pickles. Olive oil is pressed from its flesh.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) Any shell of the genus Oliva and allied genera; — so called from the form. See Oliva. (b) The oyster catcher. [Prov.Eng.]
3. (a) The color of the olive, a peculiar dark brownish, yellowish, or tawny green. (b) One of the tertiary colors, composed of violet and green mixed in equal strength and proportion.
4. (Anat.) An olivary body. See under Olivary.
5. (Cookery) A small slice of meat seasoned, rolled up, and cooked; as olives of beef or veal. Olive is sometimes used adjectively and in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as olive brown, olive green, olive-colored, olive-skinned, olive crown, olive garden, olive tree, olive yard, etc. Bohemian olive (Bot.), a species of Elaeagnus ( E. angustifolia), the flowers of which are sometimes used in Southern Europe as a remedy for fevers. — Olive branch. (a) A branch of the olive tree, considered an emblem of peace. (b) Fig.: A child. — Olive brown, brown with a tinge of green. — Olive green, a dark brownish green, like the color of the olive. — Olive oil, an oil expressed from the ripe fruit of the olive, and much used as a salad oil, also in medicine and the arts. — Olive ore (Min.), olivenite. — Wild olive (Bot.), a name given to the oleaster or wild stock of the olive; also variously to several trees more or less resembling the olive.
Olived
Ol´ived, a. Decorated or furnished with olive trees. [R.] T. Warton.
Olivenite
O•liv´en•ite, n. (Min.) An olive-green mineral, a hydrous arseniate of copper; olive ore.
Oliverian
Ol•i•ve´ri•an, n. (Eng. Hist.) An adherent of Oliver Cromwell. Macaulay.
Olla
Ol´la, n. [See Olio.]
1. A pot or jar having a wide mouth; a cinerary urn, especially one of baked clay.
2. A dish of stewed meat; an olio; an olla- podrida.
Olla-podrida
Ol•la-po•dri´da, n. [Sp., lit., a rotten pot. See Olio.]
1. A favorite Spanish dish, consisting of a mixture of several kinds of meat chopped fine, and stewed with vegetables.
2. Any incongruous mixture or miscellaneous collection; an olio. B. Jonson.
Ology
Ol´o•gy, n. [See -logy.] A colloquial or humorous name for any science or branch of knowledge.
"He had a smattering of mechanics, of physiology, geology, mineralogy, and all other ologies whatsoever." De Quincey.
Olympiad
O•lym´pi•ad (o•lim"pi•ad), n. [L. olympias, -adis, Gr. ’olympia•s, -a•dos, fr. ’O•lympos Olympus, a mountain in Macedonia: cf. F. olympiade.] (Greek Antiq.) A period of four years, by which the ancient Greeks reckoned time, being the interval from one celebration of the Olympic games to another, beginning with the victory of Corœbus in the foot race, which took place in the year 776 b.c.; as the era of the olympiads. { O•lym´pi•an (- an), O•lym´pic (- pik), } a. [L. Olympius, Olympicus, Gr. ’Oly•mpios, ’Olympiko•s, fr. ’O•lympos: cf. F. olympique. See Olympiad.] Of or pertaining to Olympus, a mountain of Thessaly, fabled as the seat of the gods, or to Olympia, a small plain in Elis. Olympic games, or Olympics (Greek Antiq.), the greatest of the national festivals of the ancient Greeks, consisting of athletic games and races, dedicated to Olympian Zeus, celebrated once in four years at Olympia, and continuing five days.