ages
ages (idiomatic expression / informal time reference)
/ˈeɪdʒɪz/
It can be used with:
for, in, takes, took, be, were, was, before, after; and each way of using it is slightly different.
Meanings
The meaning of “ages” is simple, but the senses in which it is used are more difficult to grasp:
- a long time; a very long time
- an eternity
- a longer time than the speaker wants
- an amount of time that the speaker considers significant
- often used as a way of complaining that whatever is wanted is taking or will take too much time
Variants
- for ages
- in ages
- takes ages
- it will be ages
- you were ages
- it was ages
- ages before
- after ages
Example sentences
- I haven’t seen you in ages – you look different.
- We haven’t been here for ages; we must come here more often.
- It takes ages to learn to play the guitar.
- It took ages to get there.
- It will be ages before we get our exam results.
- I will not be able to meet her for ages because I have so much work on.
- You were ages in the bathroom. What were you doing?
- I was ages putting this proposal together. I hope they like it.
- I met her online about 2010, but it was ages before I met her in real life.
- The restaurant was lovely and the conversation was good, but it was ages before they brought the food.
- I have not seen her going to temple in ages.
Etymology and Origin
The Roots of “Ages” as a Measure of Time
The word “ages” traces back to ideas of long, indefinite stretches of time. It draws from the basic sense of an “age” as a distinct era in history, like the Stone Age or Bronze Age, or simply a lifetime. Over time, people started using the plural “ages” to exaggerate how much time had passed, turning it into a casual way to say “a very long while.” This shift feels natural because human history is full of references to vast periods that stretch far beyond everyday experience.
Etymology and Early Meanings
“Ages” comes from Latin roots connected to “aevum,” meaning lifetime or eternity, which entered English through Old French around the 13th century. At first, it referred to specific periods of life or history. Later, speakers began applying it more loosely to any extended duration, especially when something felt endless. The hyperbolic use—calling a wait or separation “ages”—grew out of this, highlighting how a single lifetime or generation can seem immense.
Where the Phrase Likely First Took Hold
English-speaking regions, particularly Britain, appear to be the birthplace of this idiomatic sense. Everyday speech in the British Isles favored expressions that painted time in broad strokes, influenced by a culture rich in historical storytelling and literature. American English later embraced similar patterns, with “in ages” becoming especially common there for recent absences. The phrase spread naturally through conversation and writing across the English-speaking world.
Earliest Known Appearances in Print
Printed examples of “ages” meaning a long time show up in the early 1800s. One notable poetic use comes from Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” (1915), with the line “Somewhere ages and ages hence,” evoking a distant future. Earlier casual instances, such as “haven’t seen… in ages” or “for ages,” appear in 19th-century texts, reflecting spoken language making its way into novels and letters. These records show the expression gaining traction as informal English evolved.
Interesting Notes and Cultural Echoes
One fun aspect is how “ages” links to grand historical or biblical ideas of time, yet it now livens up small talk about traffic or old friends. No major controversies surround it, but it nicely shows language’s habit of borrowing from epic scales for daily gripes. Similar expressions exist in other languages, reminding us that the feeling of time dragging is universal. This simple phrase adds color to conversations, turning a plain “long time” into something more vivid and relatable.
Synonyms
- forever
- an age
Similar Idioms
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