elder
part of speech
adjective (elder, eldest); noun (an elder, elders; elder tree)
meaning for a pupil
1) Elder means older, often said of a brother or sister: «my elder sister». tree →
2) An elder is an older person, often one who is respected and wise in a family or group. tree →
3) An elder is a small tree with white flowers and dark berries (elderberries). tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: An elder is an older man chosen as a leader and judge of the people or a city. The elders of Israel helped Moses and ruled in courts at the city gate. Interpretation: Tradition sees the elders as the start of Jewish leadership and courts. The seventy elders who helped Moses are linked to the later Sanhedrin, the great court. In the primary lessons: compares ages; «elder by 3 years» means the age difference is 3; in families: the elder child, the eldest of three; in many cultures, including First Nations, Aboriginal and Maori communities, elders are respected for their knowledge; in manners: be polite to your elders; phrases: «elder brother», «eldest son», «respect your elders»
examples
- And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. (Torah NUM.11.30, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him. (Torah DEU.22.18, JPS 1917) tree →
- And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. (Torah EXO.4.29, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. (Prophets 2SA.17.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. (Writings 1CH.21.16, JPS 1917) tree →
- To bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom. (Writings PSA.105.22, JPS 1917) tree →
- Her elder brother is 12. tree →
- His elder sister is 4 years older than him. tree →
- The elder sister is twice as old as the younger. tree →
- How old is the elder child? tree →
- The village elders met to decide. tree →
- Be polite to your elders. tree →
- She is the eldest of four children. tree →
- We made jam from elderberries. tree →
- The elder brother was very angry. tree →
note
A comparison of ages: elder = younger + difference. Trap: the age difference stays the same as years pass. Use «elder/eldest» for family before a noun («my elder sister»); use «older» with «than» («she is older than me», not «elder than»).
In the corpora
- Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
- And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.
- And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him.
- Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel;
- And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «elder» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.