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Day
When it begins. (1) With sun-set: The Jews in their “sacred
year,” and the Church—hence the eve of feast-days; the ancient
Britons “non dierum numerum, ut nos, sed noctium computant, ”
says Tacitus—hence “se'n-night” and “fortnight;” the Athenians,
Chinese, Mahometans, etc., Italians, Austrians, and Bohemians.
(2) With sun-rise: The Babylonians, Syrians, Persians, and
modern Greeks. (3) With noon: The ancient Egyptians and modern
astronomers. (4) With midnight: The English, French, Dutch,
Germans, Spanish, Portuguese, Americans, etc.
A day after the fair.
Too late; the fair you came to see is over. Day in, day out.
All day long.
“Sewing as she did, day in, day out.” —W. R. Wilkins: The Honest
Soul.
Every dog has its day.
(See under DOG.)
I have had my day.
My prime of life is over; I have been a man of light and leading, but
am now “out of the swim.”
“Old Joe, sir ... was a bit of a favourite ... once; but he has had
his day.” —Dickens.
I have lost a day (Perdidi diem) was the exclamation of Titus, the
Roman emperor, when on one occasion he could call to mind nothing done
during the past day for the benefit of his subjects.
To-day a man, to-morrow a mouse.
In French, “Aujourd'hui roi, demain rien. ” Fortune is so
fickle that one day we may be at the top of the wheel, and the next day
at the bottom.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Day from Infoplease:
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