old school en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈəʊl(d)skuːl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈoʊl(d)ˌskul/ (General-American)
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
The noun is derived from old + school (“followers of a particular doctrine; particular doctrine or way of thinking”), probably a shortening of old school of thinking, old school of thought, or some similar phrase. The adjective is derived from the attributive form of the noun.
Meanings
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(idiomatic) Now often old-school: characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era, remembered either for its inferiority to the current method, or for its superiority over the new way.
Man, I love that jacket; it’s so old school.
How Kieran Trippier bent it like Beckham to score England's brilliant World Cup opener against Croatia [title] […] That was an old school free-kick from Kieran Trippier, straight out of the David Beckham playbook. His aim is to get as much whip and dip on the ball as possible. Trippier addresses the side of the ball, plants his left foot alongside it and his right takes care of the rest. The way he wraps his foot around the ball generates a top-spin effect, like a sweetly struck forehand from Rafael Nadal.
2018 July 12, Jamie Redknapp, “How Kieran Trippier bent it like Beckham to score England's brilliant World Cup opener against Croatia”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 31 Mar 2025:Many railway officers complain that the deep interest of the old-school railwaymen in their job is dying; the B.T.C.'s new approach seems calculated to hasten its death and breed thousands more time-servers.
1962 November, “Talking of Trains: The One-day Strike”, in Modern Railways, Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 291:The seat reservations are also old-school, with labels in the back of seats.
2019 October 23, Pip Dunn, “The Next King of Scotland”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 51:That teacher’s old-school methods aren’t effective. They’re just annoying.
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(idiomatic) Of or relating to a style of popular music regarded as more old-fashioned or traditional, or not following newer trends; specifically (often old skool), of or relating to hip-hop or rap music of the late 1970s and 1980s (or more recent music of this style) as contrasted with newer styles of such music.
Also look out for a PHAT PHAT oldskool style tune on Jemini [the Gifted One]'s album set to drop in the next couple of weeks. It uses the Love Unlimited 'Strange Games and Things' break, and comes on with the old skool rhymes believe …
1995 April 14, ed [pseudonym], “Low Down on New Tunes dropping soon”, in rec.music.hip-hop (Usenet):
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(US, idiomatic) Chiefly in the form Old School: having conservative or traditional views on Christianity or politics.
[W]e both agree that you are defrauding some honest man of his just due. I recommend that you form an acquaintance, with a view to prospective results for life, with some well-settled, Old-School Presbyterian clergyman, and send me some of the cake.
1862 (date written), Ida Husted Harper, quoting Theodore Tilton, “Mob Experience—Civil War. 1861–1862.”, in The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony […], volume I, Indianapolis, Ind.; Kansas City, Mo.: The Bowen-Merrill Company, published 1899, →OCLC, page 218:Local politicians assume various appellations, such as New School and Old School Democrats, Snyderites, Clintonians, and many others, mostly derived from the name or principles of some popular demagogue.
1816, “an Old Scene Painter” [pseudonym], The Emigrant’s Guide; or, A Picture of America: […], London: […] W[illiam] Clowes, […] for W[illiam] Simpkin and R[ichard] Marshall, […], →OCLC, footnote *, page 17:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more old school | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most old school | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| old-school | alternative | lexicographic | |
| oldskool | alternative | lexicographic | |
| oldschool | alternative | lexicographic | |
| old skool | alternative | lexicographic | |
| Old School | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
new-school · new skool · new school · newskool · nu skool · new-school · new school
Descendants
Synonyms
inelegant · out of date · passé · venerable · uncool · superseded · outworn · antediluvian · last year · antediluvial · cringey · cobwebby · unoccupied · ossified · old-fashioned · archaic · out of touch · cobwebbed · antique · out of fashion · rinky-dink · unpopular · hoary · obsolete · old · OG · outdated · old-fashioned · old school · elderly · fossilized · old-hat · defunct · untrendy · dated · mouldy · out · superannuated · idle · primitive · cringe · basic · fossilized · Miss Havishamesque · outmoded · out of fashion · backward · cheugy · outdated · unstylish · backwards · out of date · Havishamesque · outdated · antiquated · démodé · out of fashion · unemployed · dated · tacky · dootsie · workless · elderly · out of date · extinct · cringeworthy · oldfangled · desuete · anachronistic · parachronistic · old · discontinued · normie · expired · oldfangled · unhip · unfashionable · unchic · passé · disused · behind the times · outmoded
Translations (23)
fi vanhan ajan (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · pl staromodny (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fi vanhanaikainen (having conservative or traditional views on Christianity or politics) · fr vieille école (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · bg олдскул (of or relating to a style of popular music regarded as more old-fashioned or traditional, or not following newer trends; of or relating to hip-hop or rap music of the late 1970s and 1980s (or more recent music of this style) as contrasted with newer styles of such music) · bg старовремски (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fi vanhanaikainen (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · pl staroszkolny (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · es chapado a la antigua (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · es a la antigua (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fi vanhan ajan (of or relating to a style of popular music regarded as more old-fashioned or traditional, or not following newer trends; of or relating to hip-hop or rap music of the late 1970s and 1980s (or more recent music of this style) as contrasted with newer styles of such music) · de oldschool (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fr vieux jeu (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fi vanhan koulukunnan (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fi vanhoillinen (having conservative or traditional views on Christianity or politics) · es de vieja escuela (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · es pasadista (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fi vanhan koulukunnan (of or relating to a style of popular music regarded as more old-fashioned or traditional, or not following newer trends; of or relating to hip-hop or rap music of the late 1970s and 1980s (or more recent music of this style) as contrasted with newer styles of such music) · pl oldskulowy (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · cmn 老派 (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · cmn 過氣 /过气 (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · es de la vieja escuela (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era) · fr à l’ancienne (characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was employed in a former era)