auld lang syne
[ awld lang -zahyn, sahyn ]
/ ˈɔld læŋ ˈzaɪn, ˈsaɪn /
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noun Scot. and North England.
old times, especially times fondly remembered.
old or long friendship.
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of auld lang syne
First recorded in 1660–80; from Scots: literally, “old long since,” i.e., “old long-ago (days)”
Words nearby auld lang syne
auk, auklet, au lait, Aulard, auld, auld lang syne, Auld Reekie, aulic, aulic council, Aulis, Auliye-Ata
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for auld lang syne
British Dictionary definitions for auld lang syne
auld lang syne
/ (ˈɔːld læŋ ˈsəɪn, ˈsaɪn, ˈzaɪn) /
noun
old times; times past, esp those remembered with affection or nostalgia
Word Origin for auld lang syne
Scottish, literally: old long since
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Cultural definitions for auld lang syne
“Auld Lang Syne”
[ (awld lang zeyen, seyen) ]
A traditional Scottish song, customarily sung on New Year's Eve; the title means “Time Long Past.” The words, passed down orally, were recorded by the eighteenth-century poet Robert Burns. The song begins:
Should auld [old] acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min'?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.