a grand old man of

the grand old man of (something)

The most senior and respected man in a particular organization, society, etc. His decades of hosting charity balls and galas have made him the grand old man of London.

See also: grand, man, of, old

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a (or the) grand old man of

a man long and highly respected in a particular field.

Recorded from 1882 , and popularly abbreviated as GOM, Grand Old Man was the nickname of the British statesman William Ewart Gladstone ( 1809–98 ), who went on to win his last election in 1892 at the age of eighty-three.

See also: grand, man, of, old

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017