Learn more. It really is a hoary old chestnut. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Meaning of Idiom ‘Old Chestnut’ An old chestnut is an old joke, story, saying, pun, etc. : Synonyms for old chestnut include platitude, banality, bromide, commonplace, truism, cliché, inanity, chestnut, cliche and dullness. The meaning of "old chestnut"" Old chestnut " Meaning: A story that has been told repeatedly and which has lost any originality. Eric Partirdge in Origins (1983 edition) says the probable origin is eating roasted chestnuts at the fireside while listening to old stories. Where did it originate? Citation from Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002 film) blacked out to resolve Google's penalty against this site . Since the 1800s, the Oxford English Dictionary says, “chestnut” has been used figuratively to mean “a story that has been told before, a ‘venerable’ joke.” In extended use, the dictionary says, a “chestnut” means “anything trite, stale, or too often repeated.” The adjective “old” was added along the way for emphasis. Example: Grandma brings out that story about her meeting the Queen every Christmas. Find more ways to say old-chestnut, along with related words, antonyms and example phrases at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Another word for old chestnut. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.,3Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth M. old chestnut: [noun] an over-repeated (i.e. 1Ammer, Christine. that has been repeated so many times it is no longer funny or interesting; a cliche. An old chestnut definition: a statement, story or idea that has been repeated so often that it is no longer... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples old chestnut meaning: 1. a subject, idea, or joke that has been discussed or repeated so often that it is not funny any…. ‘The old chestnut of ‘environmental damage’ is, of course, a favourite concern of green campaigners, and one which the UK government is keen to take on board.’ ‘‘Do you expect me to fall for that old chestnut,’ she fumed.’ ‘We've discovered the answer to that old chestnut.’ Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.,2Ayto, John. Find more ways to say old chestnut, along with related words, antonyms and example phrases at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. old chestnut (English)Origin & history Originally as chestnut, with “old” for emphasis.Popularized US 1880s, particularly Northeast and Midwest, with various theories propounded. 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