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of a certain age

简体
of a certain age
青春不再

Date: Mar 21 2013

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

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“It was horrifying because I’m of a certain age and I kept thinking, ‘If I don’t do it right I will drop dead halfway through this and someone else will get the role!’”

- Actress Sally Field on playing the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the film Lincoln. (US Weekly)

“可怕的是,我已不再年轻,我止不住地想:‘如果我不马上做这件事,我可能会中途死去,其他人将取代我扮演这一角色!”

— 女演员莎莉·菲尔德 (Sally Field) 谈论出演电影《林肯》(Lincoln) 玛丽·托德·林肯 (Mary Todd Lincoln) 一角时的感受。

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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old enough that you don’t want to admit your real age

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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It’s funny. When you’re a little kid, it’s exciting to get older. But when you actually get older, at some point, you want to stay young. There’s particular pressure on women to continue to appear young, and many products, including skin creams and hair dyes, are marketed to women for this reason.

Because of this pressure to remain youthful, some people stop telling others how old they are at a certain point. Some might lie about their age, like the actress who amazingly has her 35th birthday every year. Others might simply say they are of a certain age. This implies that they are getting older, without being too specific.

Though some might remember Sally Field from when she played the youthful Gidget on TV, she is now significantly older. She’s old enough that she worried about whether she’d stay alive for the shooting of Lincoln. She doesn’t want to say just how old she is, though, so she says she’s of a certain age.

Do you often tell people exactly how old you are? Do you know anyone who has lied about his or her age to appear younger? Is there pressure to appear youthful in your country?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“She tells everyone she’s 40, but she’s just hiding the fact that she’s of a certain age.”

“Some people think women should stop wearing mini-skirts when they’re of a certain age, but I say if they’ve reached that age they’ve earned the right to wear whatever they want.”

“Don’t ask him how old he is. He’s of a certain age and doesn’t like to discuss it.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

Julissita Getting older.
by Julissita
deliayaw feel old or mature enough
by deliayaw
Englishty It means at an old age or not young anymore.
by Englishty
TITO007 polite term for a woman who does not want her actual age known
by TITO007
cubi1604 Getting old
by cubi1604
Ardista not young anymore
by Ardista
DAMAVAND Not young, used to avoid saying middle age or old, especially for girls and women.
by DAMAVAND

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Comments

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ola33

ola33

Japan

Sometimes the age is so unnoticable at the lovely conversation. The only thing you can see and hear is joy, laughter, mutual undestanding. It’s and awesome experience that you’ll be sharing after.

10:52 PM Nov 10 2013 |

timchang

Germany

In general, women have more pressure to stay youthful than men because men prefer younger women to older women and women prefer older, wealthy, and powerful men to young men with nothing to offer.  In other words, women lose value over time and men can actually retain or increase their value through other means over time.  I believe most women are well aware of it so they take full advantage of their youth to lure the best men they can find.  Is it sad, no, just human nature.      

03:22 PM Sep 18 2013 |

1 person likes this

Flyaway

Flyaway

South Africa

Am not afraid of telling my age. And yes, the pressure is always there to look youthful, who don’t want to look forever young?

06:59 AM Mar 28 2013 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

I don’t know what to say, sometimes I do tell people I am 30 sometimes I don’t. I think it depends on who I am talking to.

08:50 PM Mar 26 2013 |

1 person likes this

Erise

Erise

Poland

I would not call “a lie” what a woman says about her age. She simply wants her man to hear what he desires.

04:47 PM Mar 25 2013 |

Erise

Erise

Poland

Do only women age?People here are discussing mainly about women. The survey shows that one of the distinctive fears of men is getting old. Am I right, men? Or it relates only to a sertain type of men? I guess, no :)


04:43 PM Mar 25 2013 |

mauroyamaguchi

Japan

In the whole world is a pressure to appear young. Fact!

02:16 AM Mar 25 2013 |

Rashida567

Rashida567

United Arab Emirates

I never shy about my age :)))))

11:38 PM Mar 24 2013 |

gokuh

gokuh

India

getting older is something that one surely want to stop bt its certain like death.. time dont stop for anybody..so life turns into race for accompolishing life goals because everybody have limited time….....if one have to enjoy life to the fullest. he must enjoy every phase of life … girls dont be upset jst enjoy every moment of short life and accept the change..

08:08 PM Mar 21 2013 |

nastaran.k

nastaran.k

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I think it is sth natural that women do not like to tell others their age.Because as they grow older,their appearance changes.(the wrinkles on their forhead and…).And this matter annoys them a lot.So they prefer to use cosmetics and other products to apper younger and as a result they avoid telling others their real age.Some day me,my friends and all of the girls will face to this matter.But now I prefer to be older.Because I want to reach my goals and enjoy life.


Happy new year to all Iranian!

03:38 PM Mar 21 2013 |

Nabilo

Nabilo

Germany

We all are getting older someday, so the age is not a matter. All we have to be worried about in the future is the following:


- What did you do in the past?


- What did you achieve?


- did you do things you like?


- were you happy?


I agree with you Ola33. Just do things you like and you’ll stay young and happy all the time.

02:22 PM Mar 21 2013 |

FUN777

FUN777

Egypt

I think Sally Field is still beautiful whatever her age is.

01:23 PM Mar 21 2013 |

1 person likes this

zhaleh hoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

In my view to be young is not related to the age u are, it’s sth that u feel inside. It’s just a matter of attitude:)

11:25 AM Mar 21 2013 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

I would accept that I might be wrong  but I think that  in our modern societies  young and beautiful people  have more possibilities  to land with a  job than  older ones , this is sad, because  we are not ” old”  at our 40th or fifties  .Trying   to stay young for ever is an illusion  , no matter how expensive are  the facial antiage creams . I have decided not to hide or lie about my age , I am what I am  ,69 years old , more mature , experienced, and I thank God for all the good  things that  over the years  I have been  enjoying: as… family, friends, foods ,trips  and good health . I feel bless  and i don´t care if I drop dead  now …lol

santo0712

santo0712Super Member!

Brazil

Well, I’m 63 years old, but that don’t worry me yet, because when someone ask my age, I use playing changing the digit  telling “I’m 36 years old” so this it’ll  work for more 2 years, because I will be 66 or 67, I’ll couldn’t use this  trick.


10:45 AM Mar 21 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Nikki, Kate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton looks gorgeous in spite of their age, with just a few lines on the face. Coco Chanel was always irresistable. Jami Le Curtis is anti anti aging  saying , ” “We are in the chain of our ancestors, like it or not…These are truths to be celebrated and in other countries they are. The term older and wiser is actually in play everywhere but here.”

10:36 AM Mar 21 2013 |

Englishty

Englishty

Egypt

Of course there’s a huge pressure on women to look always young and unfortunately some women do the best they can to look young by having many plastic surgeries and so on and some just feel satisfied and okay with themselves and they don’t care about getting old, they let their faces and bodies without any surgeries and their hairs turn into the silver white as The actress Helen Mirren and Judi Dench. I just love this satisfying with yourself.

10:25 AM Mar 21 2013 |

✰Nikki✰

✰Nikki✰

United States

Fact is our society demonizes the natural aging process and celebrates youth and stereotypical beauty. But let me tell you, being of a certain age simply means I’ve lived life in a fascinating way. Why not accept the inevidable? I do! My mind does not feel anything near how old my body is.What’s the secret? It’s about loving yourself just as you are inside and out. Judi Dench shows us in a divalike way what aging realistically and gracefully means. Amen to aging naturally and with grace.

07:06 AM Mar 21 2013 |

Crizsearch

Crizsearch

Indonesia

The older you are, the wiser you will be, just enjoy the flowing beaty of natural life. Age is not a problem and in my country it’s impolite to ask about age… don’t mind, it’ll be fine to be old hhhhhhhhhh…..age can be old but it’s a blessing to look young uh Ohhhh…

04:23 AM Mar 21 2013 |

Olivine

Olivine

Indonesia

I have heard that some countries consider an age question as impolite thing to ask. In my country, lying about our age is not necessarily important though age plays a significant role here in many aspects of live such as work or relationship. 

12:57 AM Mar 21 2013 |

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