eli5 why old man refers to husbands when said by wives but fathers when said by men.

Question

Where did the expression “my old man” come from and why does it refer to a woman’s husband and at the same time a man’s father? Also men use “my old lady” to refer to their wives but not mothers.

In: 0

Answer 1

I always figured the “old (ole) man/lady” was the natural progression from “the old ball and chain” referring to your significant other in marriage.