отживать свой век

• ОТЖИВАТЬ/ОТЖИТЬ СВОЙ ВЕК (СВОЕ ВРЕМЯ)

[VP; usu. pfv]

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1. Also: ОТЖИВАТЬ/ОТЖИТЬ СВОЕ [subj: human]

⇒ to have lived one's allotted years:

- X отжил свой век{{}}≈ X has lived his life (share);

- [in limited contexts] X has already had a long life.

     ♦ ...Мысли [Спиридона] были о дочери. Жена, как и он, отжили уже свое (Солженицын 3)...His [Spiridon's] thoughts dwelled on his daughter His wife and he had already lived their share (3a).

     ♦ [Подхалюзин:] Что об вас-то толковать! Вы, Самсон Силыч, отжили свой век... (Островский 10). IP.] Why talk about you' You, Samson Silych, have already had a long life (10b)

2. [subj: abstr or concrj to become out-of-date, go out of use, be no longer popular, in fashion: X отжил свой век ≈ X has outlived its usefulness; X has outlived (had) its day; X has become passe (a thing of the past); [in limited contexts]

⇒ X has seen better days.

     ♦ Марксизм и прочие "измы" не привлекают молодые умы: "измы" отжили свой век (Аллилуева 2). Marxism and all other "isms" do not attract these young minds, "isms" have outlived their day (2a)