ages
ages — 慣用語
1. a way of saying that something lasts or takes much longer than normal, often in
a way of saying that something lasts or takes much longer than normal, often in a way that causes annoyance or surprise — for example, waiting for a bus for ages, or not seeing a friend for ages.
The bus took ages to arrive, so Mei was late for her appointment.
take + ages + to-infinitive
I haven't seen the Okonkwo family for ages — not since their son's wedding.
for ages (duration since last event)
Kim waited for ages outside the dentist's office before being called in.
It's been ages since Diego last visited his grandmother in Oaxaca.
The repair work on the old bridge went on for ages, causing long traffic jams.
- forever
more emphatic and dramatic; 'takes forever' is equally common in informal speech
- an eternity
more literary and formal; less frequent in everyday conversation
- yonks
British slang, very informal; only used in UK and Australia/New Zealand
文法句型
for ages
take ages
it's been ages since…
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'for' to describe a long duration ('for ages') or with 'take' to say something took a long time ('took ages'). The noun is always plural — 'age' in the singular does not carry this idiomatic meaning.
常見錯誤
ages — 名詞
1. the number of years a person has been alive at a particular point in time, used
the number of years a person has been alive at a particular point in time, used to describe how old someone is or when something happened in their life.
At the age of twelve, Javier started learning to play the guitar.
at the age of [number]
Children must reach the age of five before starting school here.
Priyanka's grandfather lived to the age of ninety-three without glasses.
The old oak tree in the park was estimated at an age of over two hundred years.
At your age I was already working part-time after school.
- years
informal; 'a woman of her years'
文法句型
at the age of [number]
[number] years of age
aged [number]
用法筆記
The most basic and frequent sense of 'age' as a noun. Distinguished from sense 3 (length of existence) by its focus on PEOPLE's chronological age in years, though it also applies to objects. Frequently appears in 'at the age of' and 'of age' constructions.
常見錯誤
2. any one of the main periods of a person's life, such as childhood, youth, adulth
any one of the main periods of a person's life, such as childhood, youth, adulthood, or old age.
People of all ages enjoyed the festival in the town square.
phrase: people of all ages
Kavita started learning the piano at the age of seven.
grammar pattern: at the age of
The preschool accepts children from the age of three.
Liam preferred quiet walks in the park to loud parties at his age.
- time of life
less common but synonymous; more formal sounding
- stage
broader; not specific to life periods
文法句型
at the age of X
people of all ages
用法筆記
Common in the phrase 'at the age of + number' to specify exactly how old someone is. 'Of all ages' is a fixed expression meaning 'including every age group'.
常見錯誤
3. a long period of time in the past that has a distinct character, named after its
a long period of time in the past that has a distinct character, named after its technology, culture, or major developments.
The Middle Ages lasted for roughly a thousand years.
proper name: capitalised 'Middle Ages'
The Bronze Age marked a major advance in human tool-making.
proper name: capitalised 'Bronze Age'
Children learn about the Stone Age in their first history lessons.
The digital age has changed how people communicate around the world.
Housing in the Victorian age looked very different from modern apartments.
文法句型
the + proper_name + Age
the + adjective + age
用法筆記
Many historical ages are proper nouns and are capitalised (Stone Age, Middle Ages). Modern ages formed with adjectives are usually lowercased (digital age, nuclear age).
常見錯誤
4. the later part of a person's life, after youth and middle age, when the body and
the later part of a person's life, after youth and middle age, when the body and mind gradually show the effects of time — including physical decline such as weakened bones, faded eyesight, or slowed movement.
Elena's father carried himself with the quiet dignity of age.
idiomatic: dignity / wisdom of age
Arun took up watercolor painting in his old age and found great joy in it.
The new park has benches and gentle walking paths designed for people of advanced age.
Aunt Rosa's memory grew less reliable with age, but her warm smile never faded.
Dmitri's back troubles him more now that age is catching up with him.
- old age
more explicit about the stage; 'age' alone can also mean this
- seniority
stresses rank or status from years of experience, not physical aging
- elderly years
euphemistic; polite register
- youth
the opposite end of the life span
文法句型
age + verb (creeps, brings, slows)
in old age
with age
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when referring to the state of being old ('with age', 'the dignity of age'). This sense also covers the physical effects of having lived a long time — weakening bones, fading senses, slowing movements. When contrasted with 'youth', 'age' highlights decline or accumulated wisdom depending on context.
常見錯誤
5. the number of years a person must have lived before the law allows them to do so
the number of years a person must have lived before the law allows them to do something, such as vote, drive, drink alcohol, or retire.
The legal voting age in Japan is eighteen years old.
age + noun describing the qualification
Deepak was counting the days until he reached the driving age.
Several countries have raised the retirement age to sixty-seven.
Mei-Ling was not yet of legal age to buy alcohol in Taipei.
Different countries set different legal ages for marriage, from sixteen to twenty-one.
- minimum age
specifically the lower boundary, not a general threshold concept
- age limit
can be an upper or lower boundary; 'legal age' is always the minimum
文法句型
age + noun (voting age, drinking age)
legal age + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Often found in fixed compound nouns such as 'voting age', 'drinking age', and 'retirement age'. The preposition 'of' is used in the phrase 'of legal age'.
常見錯誤
ages — 名詞
1. the amount of time that an object, building, institution, or natural feature has
the amount of time that an object, building, institution, or natural feature has existed from its beginning until the present moment — for example, the age of a bridge, a company, or a fossil.
The age of the oak tree in the park was over two hundred years.
age of + noun phrase
No one could guess the age of the old stone bridge near the village.
Scientists used carbon dating to determine the age of the ancient pottery.
The university has stood on this site for over a hundred years, but the age of the institution itself dates back to 1843.
文法句型
age of + noun
reach the age of + number
用法筆記
This sense applies primarily to inanimate objects, buildings, institutions, and natural features. For living things, use entries[1]/1 (YEAR COUNT) for people or entries[1]/2 (STAGE OF LIFE) for life periods.
2. a particular number of years that marks when a specific event, legal right, or c
a particular number of years that marks when a specific event, legal right, or change in physical ability typically happens — for example, retirement age, school-leaving age, or childbearing age.
The retirement age in many countries is sixty-five for men and women.
retirement age / school age / voting age
The doctor explained that Yuki had reached the age of puberty earlier than most girls her age.
pattern: reach the age of [milestone]
The government is discussing whether to raise the minimum driving age.
Tariq's daughter has just reached school age and starts kindergarten next week.
Women of childbearing age are advised to take folic acid supplements daily.
文法句型
[qualifier] + age
the age of [milestone]
用法筆記
Distinguished from entries[1]/5 (LEGAL THRESHOLD) by covering a wider range of milestones — not only legal thresholds but also biological, social, and institutional ones. Often appears in compound nouns: 'retirement age', 'school age', 'voting age', 'childbearing age'.
常見錯誤
3. all the people living at roughly the same time; a generation, with a focus on sh
all the people living at roughly the same time; a generation, with a focus on shared experiences and cultural traits.
The younger age prefers digital news over printed newspapers now.
this age = this generation
Our age faces environmental challenges that earlier generations never imagined.
Mr. Chen worries that the current age spends too much time on mobile phones.
Each age brings its own music, fashion, and way of thinking about the world.
- generation
more common; 'the younger generation' vs 'the younger age'
- cohort
technical; used in sociology or statistics
文法句型
this age
the current age
用法筆記
Often used with 'the' + adjective ('the younger age', 'the current age'). Overlaps with 'generation' but is less formal and slightly narrower in scope — typically refers to people alive now rather than historical generations.
4. the stage of physical or mental development a person has reached, expressed in c
the stage of physical or mental development a person has reached, expressed in comparison with the average abilities of people of a particular age — for example, a child's reading age or bone age.
The child's reading age is two years ahead of her actual age.
reading age / bone age / mental age
Oluwaseun's developmental age was assessed during the school evaluation.
domain: psychology
The test measures a student's problem-solving age compared to classmates.
A child's bone age can differ from their calendar age by several years.
A developmental age score helps doctors check whether a child is growing at the expected rate.
- level
broader; 'reading level' without the age comparison
- developmental stage
more general; not expressed in years
文法句型
[possessive] + age
[noun] + age
用法筆記
Common in educational psychology and paediatrics. Often appears as a compound: reading age, mental age, bone age. Distinguished from entries[1]/1 (YEAR COUNT) which covers chronological age — this sense measures development rather than elapsed time.
常見錯誤
ages — 名詞
1. a period in history when a particular person was very powerful, influential, or
a period in history when a particular person was very powerful, influential, or creative and that person's lifetime or active period defined the era — for example, the age of Shakespeare or the age of Queen Elizabeth I.
Historians often refer to the late eighteenth century as the age of Mozart.
pattern: the age of [person]
The age of Genghis Khan transformed the map of Asia forever.
Many poets still look back to the age of Shakespeare with admiration.
The golden age of Hollywood produced some of the most famous films ever made.
The age of Pericles is remembered for its advances in democracy and art.
Mei's grandmother lived through the age of the first moon landing.
- era
broader; does not require a central figure
- golden age
implies a peak of achievement, not just any figure-dominated period
文法句型
the age of + [person]
the + adjective + age of + [person]
用法筆記
Distinguish from entries[1]/3 (HISTORICAL PERIOD) — this sense centers on a specific individual's lifetime or period of influence, whereas entries[1]/3 is defined by broader cultural or technological features, not a single person.
2. the entire period of a person's life from birth to death, considered as a comple
the entire period of a person's life from birth to death, considered as a complete span of time.
The legend of the lost city has been passed down through many ages.
fixed phrase: through the ages
In the age of her grandmother, women rarely held public office.
The old fisherman had spent his whole age working on the same stretch of river.
A human age is brief when measured against the history of the planet.
文法句型
through the ages
in one's age
用法筆記
This sense has a formal or literary tone. In everyday conversation, 'lifetime' is far more common than 'age' for this meaning. Distinguish from entries[1]/3 (HISTORICAL PERIOD).
常見錯誤
3. a period in modern history defined by the widespread use of a particular inventi
a period in modern history defined by the widespread use of a particular invention, material, or technology that changed how people live — for example, the space age, nuclear age, or age of the internet, as opposed to prehistoric archaeological periods such as the Stone Age or Bronze Age.
The space age officially began when Sputnik was launched in 1957.
collocation: space age / nuclear age / computer age
Many historians believe we now live in the age of the internet.
pattern: age of [technology]
The age of the railway connected distant cities like never before.
The nuclear age brought both cheap electricity and new dangers to the world.
The age of the automobile reshaped the design of cities across the globe.
- era
interchangeable; 'era' is more neutral and less tied to technology
- age of [technology]
the full phrase is the most natural form
文法句型
the + noun + age
the age of + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from entries[1]/3 (HISTORICAL PERIOD) — this sense focuses specifically on technology-driven eras, while entries[1]/3 covers broader cultural or chronological periods including ancient ones such as the Stone Age or Iron Age. This sense is more common in modern contexts.
4. a subdivision of a geologic epoch, representing a distinct span of time in the e
a subdivision of a geologic epoch, representing a distinct span of time in the earth's history — for example, the Cretaceous age when dinosaurs flourished.
Geologists divide the Pleistocene epoch into several glacial ages.
countable noun: glacial ages
Dr. Okonkwo studies fossils from the Cretaceous age in Nigeria.
The Holocene age began around eleven thousand seven hundred years ago.
Rock samples from the Jurassic age contain traces of ancient plants.
文法句型
the [Name] age
用法筆記
Used as a technical term in geology. Each age is shorter than an epoch and longer than a chron. Typical names end in -an (e.g. Kimmeridgian).
ages — 動詞
1. to become older as time passes, especially of a living person, animal, or plant
to become older as time passes, especially of a living person, animal, or plant
My grandmother has aged very well and still walks three kilometres every morning.
age + adverb (age well)
Dogs age much faster than humans, so a seven-year-old labrador is already quite old.
The old oak tree in the park has aged beautifully over the past hundred years.
As people age, their skin becomes thinner and more likely to get sunburned.
- grow older
more literal and neutral, less common as a single verb
- mature
implies positive development, not just the passage of time
- stay young
not a single verb; describes failing to show ageing
文法句型
age + adverb (age well / age gracefully / age quickly)
用法筆記
Often used with an adverb (age well, age gracefully, age poorly) to describe the quality of the ageing process.
常見錯誤
2. to develop a richer, smoother, or more desirable quality by being left undisturb
to develop a richer, smoother, or more desirable quality by being left undisturbed for a period of time, especially of cheese, wine, whiskey, or wood
This cheddar cheese has been aging in a cool cellar for eighteen months.
product + age + duration + location
The whiskey must age for at least twelve years before it is ready to sell.
age + for + duration
Red wines that age slowly in oak barrels tend to have a much deeper flavour.
Teak wood ages naturally to a soft silver-grey colour that many people prefer.
文法句型
product + age (the cheese ages / the wine ages)
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense describes a positive change — the product becomes better, not simply older. Subject is typically a consumable product or natural material.
常見錯誤
3. to cause a person or living thing to look, feel, or become older than they natur
to cause a person or living thing to look, feel, or become older than they naturally would
Working night shifts for ten years really aged my uncle.
event + ages + person
Constant worry about money can age a person faster than any illness.
abstract subject (worry) + age + person
The harsh desert sun aged the farmers who worked in the fields every day.
Living through a war ages even the youngest soldiers in ways that are hard to describe.
- rejuvenate
formal; means to make young again
文法句型
something + ages + someone (worry ages you / stress ages a person)
用法筆記
Subject is typically an experience, condition, or environment — not a person deliberately making someone else old. Contrast with sense 6, which describes deliberate artificial treatment of objects.
常見錯誤
4. to keep a product such as cheese, wine, or whiskey in controlled conditions unti
to keep a product such as cheese, wine, or whiskey in controlled conditions until it reaches the best state for consumption or use
The distillery ages its single malt whiskey for at least fifteen years.
producer + ages + product + for + duration
This small French farm ages its goat cheese in limestone caves the traditional way.
To make good balsamic vinegar, you must age it for twelve years in wooden barrels.
Aged beef has a richer taste because the meat is kept in cold storage for several weeks.
Some tobacco companies age their leaves for up to five years before rolling cigars.
文法句型
age + product + for + duration (age the cheese for six months)
用法筆記
The subject is a person or company deliberately controlling the process. The purpose is quality improvement, not mere preservation. Frequently used in the passive (aged cheese, aged whiskey).
常見錯誤
5. to develop visible marks of wear, fading, or damage through use or exposure over
to develop visible marks of wear, fading, or damage through use or exposure over time — for example, a wooden floor showing scratches or paint losing its colour
The wooden floorboards in the old school had aged to a dark, rich brown.
material + aged + to + colour/state
Concrete statues age quickly in rainy climates, developing green patches of moss.
Leather that is left in direct sunlight ages much faster and starts to crack.
The photographs from the 1970s had aged badly, with faded colours and yellow edges.
文法句型
object + ages (the wood ages / the building ages)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is about living things growing older naturally; sense 5 is about non-living things showing visible wear. The adverb often indicates whether the change is attractive (beautifully, gracefully) or undesirable (badly, quickly).
6. to treat a surface, material, or object deliberately so that it looks old, worn,
to treat a surface, material, or object deliberately so that it looks old, worn, or antique
The carpenter aged the new pine table by rubbing it with a chain and dark stain.
craftsman + ages + object + by + method
Stage designers often age paper documents by soaking them in weak tea.
To make the film look older, the director aged the footage by adding dust and scratches digitally.
You can age new brass fittings by wiping them with a special chemical solution.
Some furniture makers age their pieces deliberately so they resemble family heirlooms.
- restore
to bring back to original, new condition
文法句型
age + object + to look + adjective (age the wood to look antique)
用法筆記
This sense is deliberate and artificial — the process is applied by a person, not caused by time or nature. Contrast with sense 3 (unintentional ageing from experience) and sense 5 (natural ageing through exposure). Common in home decoration, theatre, and antique restoration.