hoary

adj

Etymology: Possibly from Middle English *hori (suggested by horilocket (“hoary-locked, having hoary locks or curls”)), equivalent to hoar + -y. Alternatively, Middle English horilocket may represent Middle English hor (“hoar, hoary”) + ilocket (“locked”) rather than hori (“hoary”) + locket (“locked”).

1. White, whitish, or greyish-white.

   “As hoary frost with spangles doth attire, The mossy braunches of an oke halfe ded,”

   “But hoary Winter, unadorn'd and bare, Dwells in the dire Retreat, and freezes there.”

2. White or grey with age.

   “The old man bowed his hoary head in acquiescence.”

   “And ever and anon a silent tear Stole down, and trickled from his hoary beard.”

3. Of a pale silvery grey.
4. Covered with short, dense, greyish white hairs.
5. Old or old-fashioned; trite.

   “It was, however, most interesting work, and the moulders themselves were a decent crowd, never tired of making jokes about themselves such as the hoary one that moulders did not live long, which however ran counter to the other one that no germs could live in a foundry—the atmosphere was too foul.”

   “In its God-like prime, The Simpsons attacked well-worn satirical fodder from unexpected angles, finding fresh laughs in the hoariest of subjects.”

6. Remote in time past.

   “The probability of these flattering fictions could no longer be examined, when the hoary antiquity of such traditions had gained them veneration. An adventure of ancient date was in blind after-ages too readily received as truth.”

   “Plant and animal species of hoary antiquity or at an evolutionary dead end seem similarly outdated. Remnant exemplars of the coelacanth, the tuatara, the Joshua tree are anachronisms more at home in previous than present environments.”

7. Moldy; mossy; musty.

   “By chance there was at that time brought out of the citie into the campe verie course, hoarie, moulded bread, which some of the souldiours hauing bought, and thrusting it vpon the points of their speares, shewed it vnto their fellowes in great choller, railing against king Ferdinand, which in his owne kingdome in the beginning of the warre had made no better prouision, but with such corrupt and pestilent bread to feed them being strangers, which were onely for his defence and quarrell to aduenture their liues.”