TKG English Learner's Dictionary

age

2 entries: noun · verb

agenoun

American /eɪdʒ/ British /eɪdʒ/
plural ages
very commondefining vocabulary

Age is how many years someone or something has lived or existed, a particular period of time, or, informally, a very long time.

  1. how oldthe number of years someone has lived, or the number of years something has existed

    countable or uncountable [C/U] usually singular [usu sing]

    Collocations

    noun + preposition at the age of
    verb + noun know someone's age, guess someone's age

  2. period in historya particular period of time

    countable [C]

    Collocations

    adjective + noun the digital age, a golden age

  3. a long timea very long time

    plural only [pl] informal

    Collocations

    phrase for ages, take ages

Phrases

of age formal

having reached the age at which the law considers you an adult

act your age

act in a way that suits your age, not like a child

  • Stop throwing food — act your age!

Word family

Common mistakes

I have twenty years. I am twenty years old.
English expresses age with be ... years old, not have.

For translators

Meaning across languages In some languages the words for age (years lived) and era (a period in history) are different words; English uses age for both.
Grammar trap In many languages, age is expressed with a word like have: I have twenty years. English uses be: I am twenty years old.

ageverb

American /eɪdʒ/ British /eɪdʒ/
third-person singular ages past tense aged past participle aged present participle aging
very commondefining vocabulary

  1. grow olderbecome older

    intransitive [I]

  2. make oldermake someone or something become or seem older

    transitive [T] usually passive [usually passive]

Word family