English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Ages
Meaning
"Age" is a noun that refers to the number of years since birth or a specific point in time. It is used to describe someone's age, as well as time periods in history or events that have taken place over a period of time. In the context of idiomatic expressions, "ages" is often used to express an extended period of time or a long duration.
Usage
- I can't believe it has been ages since we last saw each other!
- This project has taken ages to complete.
- The company has been in business for ages.
- We went to that concert ages ago, and it was amazing!
- She has been learning the piano for ages, and she's a talented musician now.
Roots and History
The word "age" comes from the Old English term "ægge," which means "year." It has been used in English since the Middle Ages to refer to the passage of time or someone's age. The phrase "ages old" first appeared in the 16th century, and it was used to express a sense of antiquity or long duration. Over time, the phrase has become more common and is now widely used in everyday language.
Synonyms in English
- Time passed
- Duration
- Elapsed
- Extended period of time
- Long time ago
Synonyms in other languages
- La langue française n'a pas de traduction directe pour l'expression anglaise "ages old".
- En español, se puede usar "muchos años" o "fecha larga" para expresar el mismo sentido.
- En italiano, se puede usar "lungo tempo" o "durato".
- En português, se puede usar "tempo longo" o "duração".