auld lang syne

[ awld lang zahyn, sahyn ]
/ ˈɔld læŋ ˈzaɪn, ˈsaɪn /

noun Scot. and North England.

old times, especially times fondly remembered.
old or long friendship.

Origin of auld lang syne

literally, old long since, i.e., old long-ago (days)

Words nearby auld lang syne

Example sentences from the Web for auld lang syne

British Dictionary definitions for auld lang syne

auld lang syne
/ (ˈɔːld læŋ ˈsəɪn, ˈsaɪn, ˈzaɪn) /

noun

old times; times past, esp those remembered with affection or nostalgia

Word Origin for auld lang syne

Scottish, literally: old long since

Cultural definitions for auld lang syne

“Auld Lang Syne”
[ (awld lang zeyen, seyen) ]

A traditional Scottish song, customarily sung on New Year's Eve; the title means “Time Long Past.” The words, passed down orally, were recorded by the eighteenth-century poet Robert Burns. The song begins:

Should auld [old] acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min'?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!