old saw
A cliché, saying, or overused expression, especially a proverb or maxim.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That old saw about hard work is still true.”
“She uses that old saw to explain why she never buys cheap shoes.”
“You should not believe every old saw you hear from your neighbors.”
“He dismissed the advice as an old saw that had no place in modern business.”
“My grandfather always repeats that old saw about early birds catching worms whenever I sleep past seven in the morning.”
“The coach relied on a tired old saw to motivate the team after they lost their third game in a row.”
“The politician tried to avoid the difficult question by repeating an old saw about how honesty is always the best policy.”
“Although the speaker relied heavily on every old saw in the book, the audience found his sincerity surprisingly moving.”
From Middle English *olde sawe* or *old sawe*, the term is a compound of *old* and *saw*, the latter being a traditional term for a saying or proverb. While the noun *saw* descends from Old English *sagu*, the specific construction of the *old saw* as a fixed phrase for a well-worn maxim appears in the Middle English period.
- 01
any old nook or cranny
Alternative form of any nook or cranny.
- 02
bad old days
The past, seen as a time when things were worse.
- 03
big old
Emphatically or impressively big; really big.
- 04
chip off the old block
Someone who takes after one of their parents; (generally) a person similar to another.
- 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.
- 06
every old nook and cranny
Alternative form of every nook and cranny.
- 07
give someone the old heave-ho
Alternative form of give someone the heave-ho.
- 08
green old age
A person's elderly years that are active or full of vitality.
Last updated August 10, 2026