Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - age

suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 an action (breakage; spillage). 2 a condition or function (bondage; a peerage). 3 an aggregate or number of (coverage; the peerage; acreage). 4 fees payable for; the cost of using (postage). 5 the product of an action (dosage; wreckage). 6 a place; an abode (anchorage; orphanage; parsonage). Etymology: OF ult. f. L -aticum neut. of adj. suffix -aticus -ATIC AGE n. & v. --n. 1 a the length of time that a person or thing has existed or is likely to exist. b a particular point in or part of one's life, often as a qualification (old age; voting age). 2 a colloq. (often in pl.) a long time (took an age to answer; have been waiting for ages). b a distinct period of the past (golden age; Bronze age; Middle Ages). c Geol. a period of time. d a generation. 3 the latter part of life; old age (the peevishness of age). --v. (pres. part. ageing, aging) 1 intr. show signs of advancing age (has aged a lot recently). 2 intr. grow old. 3 intr. mature. 4 tr. cause or allow to age. Phrases and idioms age-long lasting for a very long time. age of consent see CONSENT. age of discretion see DISCRETION. age-old having existed for a very long time. come of age reach adult status (esp. in Law at 18, formerly 21). over age 1 old enough. 2 too old. under age not old enough, esp. not yet of adult status. Etymology: ME f. OF ult. f. L aetas -atis age