Days of obligation

Days of obligation
Day Day (d[=a]), n. [OE. day, dai, dei, AS. d[ae]g; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. dag, G. tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah (for dhagh ?) to burn. [root]69. Cf. {Dawn}.] 1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the time between sunrise and sunset, or from dawn to darkness; hence, the light; sunshine; -- also called {daytime}. [1913 Webster +PJC]

2. The period of the earth's revolution on its axis. -- ordinarily divided into twenty-four hours. It is measured by the interval between two successive transits of a celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a {solar day}; if it is a star, a {sidereal day}; if it is the moon, a {lunar day}. See {Civil day}, {Sidereal day}, below. [1913 Webster]

3. Those hours, or the daily recurring period, allotted by usage or law for work. [1913 Webster]

4. A specified time or period; time, considered with reference to the existence or prominence of a person or thing; age; time. [1913 Webster]

A man who was great among the Hellenes of his day. --Jowett (Thucyd. ) [1913 Webster]

If my debtors do not keep their day, . . . I must with patience all the terms attend. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

5. (Preceded by the) Some day in particular, as some day of contest, some anniversary, etc. [1913 Webster]

The field of Agincourt, Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

His name struck fear, his conduct won the day. --Roscommon. [1913 Webster]

Note: Day is much used in self-explaining compounds; as, daybreak, daylight, workday, etc. [1913 Webster]

{Anniversary day}. See {Anniversary}, n.

{Astronomical day}, a period equal to the mean solar day, but beginning at noon instead of at midnight, its twenty-four hours being numbered from 1 to 24; also, the sidereal day, as that most used by astronomers.

{Born days}. See under {Born}.

{Canicular days}. See {Dog day}.

{Civil day}, the mean solar day, used in the ordinary reckoning of time, and among most modern nations beginning at mean midnight; its hours are usually numbered in two series, each from 1 to 12. This is the period recognized by courts as constituting a day. The Babylonians and Hindoos began their day at sunrise, the Athenians and Jews at sunset, the ancient Egyptians and Romans at midnight.

{Day blindness}. (Med.) See {Nyctalopia}.

{Day by day}, or {Day after day}, daily; every day; continually; without intermission of a day. See under {By}. ``Day by day we magnify thee.'' --Book of Common Prayer.

{Days in bank} (Eng. Law), certain stated days for the return of writs and the appearance of parties; -- so called because originally peculiar to the Court of Common Bench, or Bench (bank) as it was formerly termed. --Burrill.

{Day in court}, a day for the appearance of parties in a suit.

{Days of devotion} (R. C. Ch.), certain festivals on which devotion leads the faithful to attend mass. --Shipley.

{Days of grace}. See {Grace}.

{Days of obligation} (R. C. Ch.), festival days when it is obligatory on the faithful to attend Mass. --Shipley.

{Day owl}, (Zo["o]l.), an owl that flies by day. See {Hawk owl}.

{Day rule} (Eng. Law), an order of court (now abolished) allowing a prisoner, under certain circumstances, to go beyond the prison limits for a single day.

{Day school}, one which the pupils attend only in daytime, in distinction from a boarding school.

{Day sight}. (Med.) See {Hemeralopia}.

{Day's work} (Naut.), the account or reckoning of a ship's course for twenty-four hours, from noon to noon.

{From day to day}, as time passes; in the course of time; as, he improves from day to day.

{Jewish day}, the time between sunset and sunset.

{Mean solar day} (Astron.), the mean or average of all the apparent solar days of the year.

{One day}, {One of these days}, at an uncertain time, usually of the future, rarely of the past; sooner or later. ``Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband.'' --Shak.

{Only from day to day}, without certainty of continuance; temporarily. --Bacon.

{Sidereal day}, the interval between two successive transits of the first point of Aries over the same meridian. The Sidereal day is 23 h. 56 m. 4.09 s. of mean solar time.

{To win the day}, to gain the victory, to be successful. --S. Butler.

{Week day}, any day of the week except Sunday; a working day.

{Working day}. (a) A day when work may be legally done, in distinction from Sundays and legal holidays. (b) The number of hours, determined by law or custom, during which a workman, hired at a stated price per day, must work to be entitled to a day's pay. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Days of obligation — Obligation Ob li*ga tion, n. [F. obligation. L. obligatio. See {Oblige}.] 1. The act of obligating. [1913 Webster] 2. That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract, oath, or vow, or of law; that which constitutes… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • days of obligation — days of obligation, days on which everyone is required to abstain from work and to attend religious services; holy days of obligation …   Useful english dictionary

  • Days of Obligation —    These are days on which Communicants are bound by the Faith they profess to be present at the celebration of the Holy Communion and to rest as much as possible from servile work. Such Days of Obligation are the following:    All Sundays in the …   American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  • holy days of obligation —       in the Roman Catholic Church, religious feast days on which Catholics must attend mass and refrain from unnecessary work. Although all Sundays are sanctified in this way, the term holy days usually refers to other feasts that must be… …   Universalium

  • Obligation — Ob li*ga tion, n. [F. obligation. L. obligatio. See {Oblige}.] 1. The act of obligating. [1913 Webster] 2. That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract, oath, or vow, or of law; that which constitutes legal or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Obligation — An obligation is a requirement to take some course of action, whether legal or moral. There are also obligations in other normative contexts, such as obligations of etiquette, social obligations, and possibly in terms of politics, where… …   Wikipedia

  • obligation — [[t]ɒ̱blɪge͟ɪʃ(ə)n[/t]] obligations 1) N VAR: usu N to inf If you have an obligation to do something, it is your duty to do that thing. When teachers assign homework, students usually feel an obligation to do it... Ministers are under no… …   English dictionary

  • Days in bank — Day Day (d[=a]), n. [OE. day, dai, dei, AS. d[ae]g; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. dag, G. tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah (for dhagh ?) to burn. [root]69. Cf. {Dawn}.] 1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Days of devotion — Day Day (d[=a]), n. [OE. day, dai, dei, AS. d[ae]g; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. dag, G. tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah (for dhagh ?) to burn. [root]69. Cf. {Dawn}.] 1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Days of grace — Day Day (d[=a]), n. [OE. day, dai, dei, AS. d[ae]g; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. dag, G. tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah (for dhagh ?) to burn. [root]69. Cf. {Dawn}.] 1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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