age

I UK [eɪdʒ] / US noun
Word forms "age":
singular age plural ages
***

Talking or writing about someone's age:

asking about age how old used for asking someone their age or talking about their age: How old are you now, Peter? ♦ I'm not sure how old she is. what age used for talking about the age someone is at a particular time: At what age did you start playing the piano? ♦ Decide what age you want to retire at. saying how old someone is be 2/10/40 etc the most usual way of saying how old someone is: I will be 45 next birthday. ♦ She was only nine when her father left. be 2/10/40 years old or 2/10/40 years of age: Sarah will be 18 years old on 25th May. ♦ I've lived here since I was six years of age. be 2/3/4 months old used for talking about babies or young children: Most children don't start to walk until they are around 12 to 14 months old. aged 2/10/40 etc: Ideally, we want someone aged 20–25 to work as a trainee. ♦ A girl aged 14 has been chosen to play the leading role. of 2/10/40 etc: A child of three is unlikely to show much interest in reading and writing. ♦ Shortly after turning 19, she became engaged to a man of 45. 2-/10-/40-year-old used before a noun, or used as a noun: a 56-year-old man ♦ a lively 20-year-old under 2/10/40 etc less than a particular number of years old: Women under 40 generally don't need regular mammograms. ♦ We have a playgroup for the under-fives. over 2/10/40 etc more than a particular number of years old: You have to be over 65 to join. when you are not saying exactly how old someone is in your teens/twenties/thirties etc used for saying that someone is aged between 13–19, 20–29, 30–39 etc: Children often become quite difficult in their teens. ♦ Police are looking for a man in his early thirties. twenty-something/thirty-something etc- used as an adjective or noun for talking about someone aged between 20–29, 30–39 etc: a successful twenty-something lawyer ♦ The programme is designed to appeal to thirty-somethings. teenage aged between 13 and 19: a group of teenage girls waiting for the bus teenager someone aged between 13 and 19 middle-aged no longer young, but not yet old, usually used for someone aged between 40 and 60: a middle-aged couple with grown-up children

1)

a) [countable/uncountable] the number of years that someone has lived

It was difficult to guess his age.

The average age of the delegates was over 60.

children under the age of seven

reach the age of:

She'll only inherit when she reaches the age of 18.

at/from the age of:

At the age of 10, I went to live with my aunt.

at/from an early age (= a young age):

The sisters have been playing music together from an early age.

at your/his/her etc age (= because of how young or old someone is):

At her age, she might be expected to take things easy.

of all/different ages:

The film is designed to appeal to people of all ages.

difference in age:

Her parents disapproved of the relationship because of the difference in age.

years of age:

He started work there at 14 years of age.

b) the number of years that something has existed

The value of the furniture depends on its condition and age.

••

See:

reading age

2)

a) [countable/uncountable] the time of life when you are allowed by law to do something

voting/retiring/school-leaving age:

young people who have reached the voting age

raise/lower the age of something:

They plan to raise the age of retirement for women to 65.

under age (= too young by law to do something):

He served wine to girls who were under age.

b) the time of life when it is possible or typical for people to do something

child-bearing/working age:

15% of women of child-bearing age were found to have the infection.

of an age to do something:

Her two older sons were both of an age to be working.

3) [uncountable] the state of being old or of becoming old

His face is starting to show signs of age.

with age:

With age, your reactions get slower.

Good wines improve with age.

4) [countable] a period of history

We live in a materialistic age.

age of:

It was an age of great intellectual excitement.

See:

the Dark Ages

5) ages

[plural] informal a long time for ages:

She's lived here for ages.

take/spend ages:

He took ages to answer the phone.

We spent ages trying to print this out.

in ages:

For the first time in ages, we sat down and talked.

ages ago:

The wedding was planned ages ago.

seem (like) ages:

After what seemed like ages, the doctor came back.

•

act/be your age — used for telling someone that they are behaving in a stupid way, as if they were much younger than they really are

for your/his/her age — used for saying that something is surprising, considering how old someone is

You're very grown up for your age.

- be someone's age

- come of age

II UK [eɪdʒ] / US verb
Word forms "age":
present tense I/you/we/they age he/she/it ages present participle aging past tense aged past participle aged
**

1)

a) [intransitive] to look or seem older

Her father had aged dramatically since she had last seen him.

b) [transitive] to make someone look or seem older

The sun had prematurely aged him.

2) [intransitive] to become older

As you age, your skin becomes less elastic.

She has aged well (= still looks attractive or young).

3) [intransitive/transitive] if wine ages or you age it, its taste improves because it is kept for some time

4) [transitive] British to calculate or guess the age of something

It is now possible to age a tree without cutting it down.