Word
old friend
Definition
compound. A friend you have known for a long time. This doesn't usually mean the friend is elderly.
compound. A person with whom one has had a friendship for a significant duration; 'old' refers to the length of the friendship, not the age of the person.
Examples
“I saw an old friend at the market.”
“I'm having dinner with an old friend from college I haven't seen in years.”
“He found unexpected comfort in the familiar counsel of an old friend, whose advice had guided him through many previous crises.”
Examples
simple
“I saw an old friend at the market.”
contextual
“I'm having dinner with an old friend from college I haven't seen in years.”
complex
“He found unexpected comfort in the familiar counsel of an old friend, whose advice had guided him through many previous crises.”
Usage
The word 'old' refers to the length of the friendship, not the age of the friend.
Teaching tip
Contrast 'old friend' (long-time friend) with 'an old friend' (an elderly friend); the former is a common collocation where 'old' modifies the relationship, not the person's age.
Pitfall
My friend is 25, so he can't be my old friend.
My friend is 25, but we met as children, so he's an old friend.
'Old friend' refers to the duration of the friendship, not the age of the person.