old face
Low-mediumInformal, idiomatic
Definition
Meaning
A person who is familiar or has been present in a particular place, organisation, or field for a long time; an old acquaintance or veteran.
A person who returns to a familiar place or group after an absence; a veteran member of a profession, community, or social circle.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term implies familiarity, experience, and a sense of continuity or belonging. It is primarily used for people, not objects. It carries a positive or neutral connotation of reliability and seasoned presence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Used in both varieties with similar meaning and frequency. Slightly more common in UK media and political discourse.
Connotations
Equally positive/neutral in both.
Frequency
Occasional use in both. Not a high-frequency collocation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Determiner] old face (in/at/from [Place/Group])It's [an/the] old face.Welcome back, [you] old face!Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A familiar/old face in the crowd.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used when a former employee or executive returns to a company or industry.
Academic
Rare. Could describe a returning professor or researcher.
Everyday
Used among friends, in social clubs, or local communities for someone returning.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No standard verbal use.
American English
- No standard verbal use.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival use.
American English
- No standard adjectival use.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Look! It's an old face from our school.
- I saw an old face at the shop today.
- Several old faces returned for the company's anniversary party.
- The team needs some new ideas, not just the same old faces.
- The cabinet reshuffle saw the return of a few political old faces.
- As an old face in the journalism industry, she had plenty of stories to tell.
- The consultancy brought in some old faces from the original project to steer the new initiative.
- His novel was populated with the old faces of the Parisian literary scene he'd known for decades.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an 'old' photograph where you see a 'face' you haven't seen in years, now returning.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTINUITY IS PRESENCE (The person's face represents their enduring connection to a group).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation "старое лицо" – it refers to an aged physical face, not a person. Use "старый знакомый", "ветеран", or "старожил".
Common Mistakes
- Using it to describe an actual aged face (e.g., "He has an old face"). Using it without the implied context of a group or place (e.g., "I saw an old face" is incomplete).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'old face' LEAST likely to be used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not primarily. It refers to the length of association with a group, not the person's physical age, though the person is often not young.
Yes, it functions as a countable noun phrase (e.g., 'an old face', 'the old faces').
It is typically neutral or positive. A negative tone would come from context (e.g., 'the same tired old faces'), not the phrase itself.
'Old-timer' emphasizes age and long residence/experience in general. 'Old face' specifically emphasizes familiarity within and connection to a *particular* group or place.