Definition
Often followed by with: to deceive, impose upon, or take advantage of someone, as if exploiting one's superior age or experience.
Origins
From come (“to behave in the manner of; to pretend to be”) + the + old soldier (“former soldier, or one who has served for a long time; one with a lot of experience in something”), in the sense of one taking advantage of their age or experience over someone else.
In Context
- "Don’t come the old soldier with me, sunshine! Do you think I was born yesterday?"
- "[W]ere it not that I think he has scarce the impudence to propose such a thing to succeed, curse me but I should think he was coming the old soldier over me, and keeping up his game."
- "But you needn't try to come the old soldier over me. D—n it, I'm not such a fool as that."
Also Said As
- act the old soldier
- play the old soldier