age

age / āj/ • n. 1. the length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed: at the age of 51 he must be nearly 40 years of age. ∎  a particular stage in someone's life: children of primary school age. ∎  the latter part of life or existence; old age: with age this gland can become sluggish. 2. a distinct period of history: a child of the television age. ∎  Geol. a division of time that is a subdivision of an epoch, corresponding to a stage in chronostratigraphy. ∎ archaic a lifetime taken as a measure of time; a generation: Nestor is said to have lived three ages when he was ninety. ∎  (ages/an age) inf. a very long time: I haven't seen her for ages it would take an age to tell her everything. • v. (ag·ing ) [intr.] grow old or older, esp. visibly and obviously so: you haven't aged a lot. ∎  [tr.] cause to grow, feel, or appear older: he tried aging the painting with coffee. ∎  (esp. with reference to an alcoholic drink) mature or allow to mature: [intr.] the wine ages in open vats. ∎  [tr.] determine how old (something) is: we didn't have a clue how to age these animals. PHRASES: act (or be) one's age [usu. in imper.] behave in a manner appropriate to someone of one's age and not to someone much younger. come of age (of a person) reach adult status. ∎  (of a movement or activity) become fully established. through the ages throughout history.