age

Everyday

1. Your age is how many years you have lived. tree →
2. An age is a long period of history, like the Stone Age or the Ice Age. tree →
3. «Ages» means a very long time, as in «I waited for ages». tree →
4. To age is to grow older. tree →

In the lessons

a number of years; problems compare ages now, in the past and in the future; in history, ages of time; phrases «at the age of», «under age», «for ages», «age group», «the same age»

Examples

• Tom's age is 9. tree →
• In 5 years, Mia will be twice her brother's age. tree →
• What is the sum of their ages? tree →
• Her father's age is 4 times her age. tree →
• She learned to read at the age of five. tree →
• Children under the age of 12 need an adult. tree →
• We waited ages for the bus. tree →
• Dinosaurs lived long before the Ice Age. tree →
• My cousin and I are the same age. tree →
• Cheese gets stronger as it ages. tree →
• What respect is shown to old age in these days? tree →

Note

An age grows by the same number of years for every person. Trap: «in 5 years» adds 5 to every age, and «5 years ago» takes 5 from every age; the difference between two ages stays the same. «Ages» (a long time) is not a number.

In Jewish tradition

"Old age" and "well stricken in age" describe long life as a blessing. "Good old age" is promised to the righteous. Age is also the name of a man, the father of Shammah, one of David's mighty men.

Interpretation. Tradition sees a long life as a sign of favor and honors the old. The Torah commands rising before the aged. The prophets also show old age bringing weakness, such as failing eyesight and sick feet.

Examples

• Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. (Torah GEN.48.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Abraham was old, well stricken in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. (Torah GEN.24.1, JPS 1917) tree →
• But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. (Torah GEN.15.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Ararite. (Prophets 2SA.23.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. (Prophets 1KI.15.23, JPS 1917) tree →
• Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. (Prophets 1KI.14.4, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

An age grows by the same number of years for every person. Trap: «in 5 years» adds 5 to every age, and «5 years ago» takes 5 from every age; the difference between two ages stays the same. «Ages» (a long time) is not a number.