Meaning & use
long of tooth
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseliteraryhumorous
Old, or getting old, especially in a way that shows age.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb such as be, seem, or get: the horse is long of tooth.
Patterns
- be long of tooth
- get long of tooth
- a long-of-tooth person
The old dog was long of tooth and slept most of the day.
He jokes that he is too long of tooth to start a new career.
Her grandfather, long of tooth but sharp as ever, still plays chess every morning.
phrasefixed phrasefigurative
No longer new or fresh; worn out by time.
Grammar: Used mainly of ideas, jokes, or institutions that have lasted a long time.
Patterns
- be long of tooth
- a long-of-tooth tradition
The club's rules are long of tooth and badly need updating.
That joke is long of tooth; everyone has heard it.
Common combinations
- be long of tooth
- At eighty, she is long of tooth but still travels.
- a bit long of tooth
- He's a bit long of tooth for a marathon, but he finished.
- long of tooth and grey
- The old sailor, long of tooth and grey, told stories all evening.
Synonyms and how they differ
- elderly
- Neutral and factual; 'long of tooth' is more literary and often gently humorous.
- aging
- Describes the process of growing older; 'long of tooth' describes the result.
- old
- The plain everyday word; 'long of tooth' sounds more formal or playful.
Opposites
Word family
- long in the tooth phrase
- The far more common form with the same meaning.
Commonly confused: long of tooth or long in the tooth?
long of tooth vs long in the tooth
This is the usual version; 'long of tooth' is a rarer literary variant with the same meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'long of tooth' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Long of tooth' means old, so it fits a horse. The other options describe objects or behavior, which the phrase does not cover.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “long of tooth”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.