--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know you're getting old when a…" description: "\"You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable to do in bed is r-e-a-d.\" — Denis Norden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png" --- # You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for… ![“You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable to do in bed is r-e-a-d.” quote by Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png) > “You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable to do in bed is r-e-a-d.” [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous way to note that reading is a pleasurable activity, especially as one ages. **In simple terms:** Reading is a pleasure that feels like a secret. Key Takeaway Embrace reading as a joyful habit. Themes aging humor reading Mood witty lighthearted Type humorous observational When to use this quote - library visits - nighttime reading - relaxation - self‑care Key Concepts pleasure language ageing Questions to Reflect On - How does reading enrich your life? - What other activities become more valued with age? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper benefits of reading beyond humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Getting old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-old/) [Pleasurable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasurable/) ## Related quotes > [You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable two people can do in bed together is R-E-A-D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four-letter-word-for-something/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [“Well, take e-mail for example. People don’t write to each other anymore, do they? Once my generation’s gone, the written letter will be consigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-robinson/well-take-e-mail-for-example-people-don-t-write-to-each-other-anymore/) [Steve Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-robinson/) > [My mother found a letter, though, that I wrote her when I was 8 years old and it was a letter where I asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/my-mother-found-a-letter-though-that-i-wrote-her-when-i-was-8-years/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [My grandmother started my interest in secret doors, trying to find things she lost, and we found an old letter in a great bookcase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-linley/my-grandmother-started-my-interest-in-secret-doors-trying-to-find/) [David Linley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-linley/) > [Research material can turn up anywhere - in a dusty old letter in an archive, a journal or some old photographs you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/research-material-can-turn-up-anywhere-in-a-dusty-old-letter-in-an/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [To pick up a cigarette wrapper or wine label or an old letter or the end of a carton is my way of dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-motherwell/to-pick-up-a-cigarette-wrapper-or-wine-label-or-an-old-letter-or-the/) [Robert Motherwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-motherwell/) > [Love is a 4 Letter Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-4-letter-word/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Any woman who can’t say a four-letter word sometimes is deceitful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-brice/any-woman-who-can-t-say-a-four-letter-word-sometimes-is-deceitful/) [Fanny Brice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-brice/) > [Life is just a dirty four-letter word: W-O-R-K.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-mcevoy/life-is-just-a-dirty-four-letter-word-w-o-r-k/) [J. P. McEvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-mcevoy/) > [Love is a four-letter word, but you don't hear in nearly as often as you hear some other four-letter words. 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We wrote everything together. But how long can you go on doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/we-saw-more-of-each-other-than-we-did-of-our-wives-we-wrote/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [And when you're on your own there is that terrifying possibility that you may be the only person on the planet who thinks it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/and-when-you-re-on-your-own-there-is-that-terrifying-possibility-that/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [I used to like writing for comedians - I enjoyed the challenge of making other people funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/i-used-to-like-writing-for-comedians-i-enjoyed-the-challenge-of/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [I have better peripheral vision in my left. It is quite hard to remain optimistic, but I have found the Macular Society, of whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/i-have-better-peripheral-vision-in-my-left-it-is-quite-hard-to-remain/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable two people can do in bed together is R-E-A-D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four-letter-word-for-something/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [If all the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players, where do all the audiences come from?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/if-all-the-world-is-a-stage-and-all-the-men-and-women-merely-players/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [A counter tenor is anyone who can count to ten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/a-counter-tenor-is-anyone-who-can-count-to-ten/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [I've written not milestones of cinema but millstones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/i-ve-written-not-milestones-of-cinema-but-millstones/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [And if you can offer an explanation as to why it doesn't work then you've got to the whole root of comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/and-if-you-can-offer-an-explanation-as-to-why-it-doesn-t-work-then/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [I recognise the pure gold that runs in Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin's work for 'Outnumbered' on TV. And on radio, I really enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/i-recognise-the-pure-gold-that-runs-in-andy-hamilton-and-guy-jenkin-s/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [Then after that came word processors and it's hard to make those laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/then-after-that-came-word-processors-and-it-s-hard-to-make-those-laugh/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [You can't have your kayak and heat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-can-t-have-your-kayak-and-heat-it/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) > [If the laughter of the audience was malicious we wouldn't show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/if-the-laughter-of-the-audience-was-malicious-we-wouldn-t-show-it/) [Denis Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) [Explore all 31 Denis Norden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/) ## More Bed quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I had as much in bed as I get in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-wish-i-had-as-much-in-bed-as-i-get-in-the-newspapers/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [I have to meditate before I go to bed, always. I have to let the day go and let the eternal in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bellamy-young/i-have-to-meditate-before-i-go-to-bed-always-i-have-to-let-the-day-go/) [Bellamy Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bellamy-young/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. A woman's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-by-a-woodland-stream-he-watched-the-water-rush-over-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I always wanted to be a movie star. I thought it meant being famous and having breakfast in bed. I didn't know you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-allyson/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star-i-thought-it-meant-being-famous/) [June Allyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-allyson/) Browse all 4,159 Bed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable to do in bed is r-e-a-d.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denis Norden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four-letter-word-for-something-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four-letter-word-for-something-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/denis-norden-20199_bed_you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four_2977768.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know you're getting old when a four-letter word for something pleasurable to do in bed is r-e-a-d.” — Denis Norden", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Denis Norden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-norden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know you're getting old when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four-letter-word-for-something-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-norden/you-know-you-re-getting-old-when-a-four-letter-word-for-something-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```