ages
- 01 A2 Elementary
a very long time.
a long duration of time; frequently used hyperbolically in spoken English.
Simple“I haven't seen my cousin for ages because she moved to Australia.”
In context“It took ages for the waiter to bring our drinks, even though the restaurant was nearly empty at the time.”
UsageUsually follows the preposition 'for' or 'in'.
PitfallI haven't seen him for age. I haven't seen him for ages.In the sense of 'a long time', the word is almost always used in the plural form 'ages'.
- 02 A2 Elementary
the number of years that different people have lived.
the plural form of age, referring to the lengths of time individuals have existed.
Simple“The children in the class are all different ages.”
In context“The survey collected data from participants of all ages to ensure the results represented the entire community.”
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
long periods of history, like the Middle Ages.
distinct periods of history characterized by specific features or developments.
Simple“We studied the different ages of human history in school.”
In context“The museum features artifacts from the Bronze and Iron Ages, showing how tools evolved over thousands of years.”