/ˈəʊl.dn̩/, /ˈəʊl.dən/, /ˈoʊldn̩/
OriginFrom Middle English olden, probably originally an inflected plural form of old (compare Old English ealdum, dative plural of eald (“old”)), but later reanalysed as equivalent to old + -en (“made of”).
Otherwise derived from Old Norse aldinn (“ancient, old”).
- not-comparableFrom or relating to a previous era.
“olden days, olden times”
“"You are right to some extent in what you say. In the olden days people had a stronger belief in all kinds of witchery; now they pretend not to believe in it, that they may be looked upon as sensible ”
“In olden days, a glimpse of stockings
Was looked on as something shocking;
Now, heaven knows,
Anything goes.”
- archaic, not-comparableOld; ancient.
“We […] told over the story of past sufferings, and renewed olden vows of devotion.”
“Beowulf, behind his shield, thrust forth only his right arm. In it he had picked up the sword of Ing, well known in olden lore.”
- dated, intransitive, rareTo grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age.
“Of all Sedley's opponents in his debates with his creditors which now ensued, and harassed the feelings of the humiliated old gentleman so severely, that in six weeks he oldened more than he had done ”
“They were not worldly days; and so, as we olden with our passage through the world, they stay young, and we love them as pure youthful things are loved.”
- countable, uncountableA surname.
- countable, uncountableAn unincorporated community in Howell County, Missouri, United States.
- countable, uncountableAn unincorporated community in Eastland County, Texas, United States.
Formsoldens(present, singular, third-person) · oldening(participle, present) · oldened(participle, past) · oldened(past) · Oldens(plural)