ENGLISH
REFERENCE

old saw

idiom
Meaning

A cliché, saying, or overused expression, especially a proverb or maxim.


Origin

disputed origin

From Middle English olde sawe, old sawe, equivalent to old + saw (“a saying or proverb”).

Examples
SIMPLE

That old saw about hard work is still true.

CONTEXTUAL

He dismissed the advice as an old saw that had no place in modern business.

COMPLEX

Although the speaker relied heavily on every old saw in the book, the audience found his sincerity surprisingly moving.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    any old nook or cranny

    Alternative form of any nook or cranny.

  2. 02

    bad old days

    The past, seen as a time when things were worse.

  3. 03

    big old

    Emphatically or impressively big; really big.

  4. 04

    chip off the old block

    Someone who takes after one of their parents; (generally) a person similar to another.

  5. 05

    come the old soldier

    Often followed by with: to deceive, impose upon, or take advantage of someone, as if exploiting one's superior age or experience.

  6. 06

    every old nook and cranny

    Alternative form of every nook and cranny.

  7. 07

    give someone the old heave-ho

    Alternative form of give someone the heave-ho.

  8. 08

    green old age

    A person's elderly years that are active or full of vitality.

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