threescore years and ten
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A ripe old age — not necessarily (m allusive use) exactly 70 years. The reference is to JPs.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “threescore years and ten” mean?
A ripe old age — not necessarily (m allusive use) exactly 70 years. The reference is to JPs.
Is “threescore years and ten” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.