old as Adam

Idioms  

1. Also, old as the hills. Ancient, as in He must be as old as Adam by now, or That joke is as old as the hills. The first term, alluding to the first human created by God, according to the Bible, was first recorded only in 1867. The variant, referring to geological time (when mountains were created), dates from about 1800.

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Example Sentences

These efforts to make women responsible for men’s bad acts are as old as Adam, Eve, and the apple, and are a perverse sort of marital traditionalism.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2024

It is a tale as old as Adam and Eve: A husband, faced with accusations of misconduct, blames the wife.

From New York Times • May 17, 2024

“What we’re dealing with, when people start doing something illegal, is exactly as old as Adam and Eve,” she said.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 10, 2018

This is an economic insight as old as Adam Smith: Thanks to the division of labor, in a well-functioning market we can do our own thing and still contribute to the greater good.

From New York Times • Apr. 10, 2015

It's as old as Adam, my dear, and will last as long as his family.

From The Dodd Family Abroad, Vol. II by Lever, Charles James