aged
aged
Pronunciation
aged
/eɪdʒd/
a-ged:
/eɪ/ (as in "day")
/dʒd/ (as in "judged")
Word Form Variations
The word "aged" primarily functions as an adjective or the past tense/past participle of the verb "age."
Verb:
Base Form: age
Third-person singular present: ages
Present participle: aging (or ageing)
Past tense: aged
Past participle: aged
Adjective: aged
There is no common noun form "aged" referring to a singular or plural entity in the way "cat" has "cats." However, "the aged" can be used as a collective noun to refer to elderly people (e.g., "care for the aged").
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb: aged
1. Past tense/Past participle of "age"
Definition: To have grown older; to have matured or developed over time.
Synonyms: matured, ripened, mellowed, grown, developed
Antonyms: regressed, deteriorated (in some contexts, if referring to a decline)
Example: The cheese aged beautifully in the cellar.
2. Past tense/Past participle of "age"
Definition: To have caused something or someone to appear older or to have been affected by the passage of time.
Synonyms: weathered, worn, eroded, seasoned
Antonyms: preserved, rejuvenated, refreshed
Example: The sun had aged his skin prematurely.
Adjective: aged
1. Definition: Having lived for a long time; old.
Synonyms: elderly, old, senior, mature, venerable
Antonyms: young, youthful, juvenile, new, fresh
Example: The aged oak tree stood majestically in the field.
2. Definition: (Of food or drink) Matured or improved over a period of time, often to enhance flavor or quality.
Synonyms: matured, ripened, cured, mellowed, seasoned
Antonyms: fresh, new, unaged, green (referring to immature)
Example: She preferred aged cheddar for her sandwiches.
3. Definition: (Of an object) Appearing old or worn due to extended use or the passage of time.
Synonyms: antique, vintage, worn, weathered, timeworn, antiquated
Antonyms: new, modern, pristine, contemporary, current
Example: The aged leather armchair was surprisingly comfortable.
Examples of Use
Books:
"He spoke with the wisdom of one who had aged in the service of the kingdom, his voice a low rumble." (From The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, 2007)
"The old house, aged by decades of wind and rain, still held a certain grandeur." (From Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, 1938)
Newspapers:
"Local charities are increasing efforts to provide support for the aged population in rural areas, offering services like meal delivery and transportation." (From The Guardian)
"Experts caution against the consumption of excessively aged foods without proper storage, citing potential health risks." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"The craft brewery announced a new line of barrel-aged stouts, promising complex flavor profiles." (From BeerAdvocate.com)
"A recent study highlights the unique challenges faced by caregivers of aged parents with dementia." (From WebMD.com)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Dialogue): "You haven't aged a day, darling!" (Commonly heard in romantic comedies or dramas when characters meet after a long time.)
Film (Description): "The protagonist, a detective with an aged face and weary eyes, surveyed the crime scene." (Often used in film reviews or character descriptions for noir or gritty dramas.)
Music (Lyrics): "Like a fine wine, you've only aged with grace." (From a popular song lyric, artist and specific song vary)
General Public Discourse:
"My grandfather says the secret to a long life is a good diet and keeping your mind active, even when you're aged." (Heard in casual conversation)
"I prefer an aged cheddar cheese; it has so much more flavor than the mild kind." (Heard in a grocery store conversation)
"That furniture looks so good because it's genuinely aged, not just distressed to look old." (Heard in a discussion about antique furniture)
10 Quotes Using Aged
"Science has not yet taught us if madness is or is not the sublimity of the intelligence." (Edgar Allan Poe, Eureka, 1848 – often misquoted, the original does not contain "aged" but speaks of "the intellect")
"Every man desires to live long, but no man wishes to be aged." (Jonathan Swift, Thoughts on Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting, 1706)
"I have lived and aged since last I saw you." (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, c. 1597)
"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers, and I linger here, aged by my own folly." (Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Locksley Hall Sixty Years After, 1886)
"Like a fine wine, she has aged gracefully." (Often attributed to various sources, common idiom)
"He was an aged man, a meek and mild old man, but one whom trouble had well-nigh broken down." (Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, 1838)
"The hills are aged, and the mountains wear the furrows of time." (Original quote)
"Even the youngest amongst us will one day be aged." (Original quote)
"Her beauty was not diminished but rather enhanced by the wisdom that aged her eyes." (Original quote)
"The aged oak stood as a silent witness to centuries of change." (Original quote)
Etymology
The word "aged" comes from the word "age." Let's break down where "age" itself came from first.
The journey of "age" starts way back in Latin with the word "aevum," which meant "lifetime," "eternity," or "age." This then developed into "aetas," also meaning "age."
From there, it moved into Vulgar Latin (the everyday language spoken by ordinary Romans) as something like "aetaticum."
This Vulgar Latin word then traveled into Old French as "aage" (later âge in Modern French), meaning "age" or "lifetime."
Finally, this Old French word "aage" was borrowed into Middle English around the late 13th century to become our word "age."
Now, for "aged":
The adjective "aged" appeared in Middle English around the mid-15th century. It essentially acts as the past participle of the verb "to age." So, its first meaning was "having lived long" or "having grown old."
Over time, it also developed meanings like "having been allowed to get old" (like with cheese or wine, to improve their quality) which appeared later, around the late 19th century.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Aged
Aged gracefully: To grow old without losing one's attractiveness or dignity; to mature well.
Aged to perfection: Matured to an ideal state, often referring to food or drink.
Well-aged: Having been allowed to mature for a sufficient period, indicating high quality.
Of a certain age: A polite or euphemistic way of saying someone is old or elderly.
Long in the tooth: (Idiom, synonym for "aged") Old or elderly.
Over the hill: (Idiom, synonym for "aged") Past one's prime; too old.
The aged: A collective term referring to elderly people.
Barrel-aged: Matured in wooden barrels, typically for alcoholic beverages, to impart flavor.
Aged like fine wine: To improve with age, becoming more appealing or valuable over time.
Showing one's age: Beginning to display signs of being old.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of aged from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
