Journey

Definitions

• I. 1. a. A day. Obs.

b. Law. journeys accounts (med.L. ditæ computtæ ‘days counted’), the number of days (usually fifteen) after the abatement of a writ within which a new writ might be obtained. Obs.

c. An appointed day; in phr. to give (assign) journey of battle, treaty, to agree to or fix on a day for battle or negotiation. (Cf. OF. mettre journée.) (This has associations with senses 7 and 8.) Obs.

• II. 2. A day's travel; the distance travelled in a day or a specified number of days. a. simply. An ordinary day's travel, the distance usually travelled in a day. As a measure of distance, varying with the mode of travel, etc.; usually estimated in the Middle Ages at 20 miles.

b. With qualification: a (or one) day's journey = a.; two, three (etc.) days' journey, the distance travelled in the number of days specified.

c. The portion of a march or expedition actually done in one day, or accomplished each day; a stage of a journey. Obs. or merged in 3.

d. The daily course of the sun through the heavens. (Now taken as fig. from 3.)

3. a. A ‘spell’ or continued course of going or travelling, having its beginning and end in place or time, and thus viewed as a distinct whole; a march, ride, drive, or combination of these or other modes of progression to a certain more or less distant place, or extending over a certain distance or space of time; an excursion or expedition to some distance; a round of travel. Usually applied to land-travel, or travel mainly by land, in contradistinction to a voyage by sea. The normal word for this in English, often qualified by an adj., or phrase, as a long, short, quick, slow, good, bad, cold, dangerous, difficult, easy, interesting, pleasant, prosperous, successful, tedious, uncomfortable journey; a j. by railway, railway j., j. on foot; j. to London, to the continent, into the country, etc. Phrases: to make or undertake a j.; to take one's j., to set out and proceed on one's way.

b. fig., esp. the ‘pilgrimage’ or passage through life.

c. transf. Any course taken or direction followed; spec. (in making a mine), the line along which the gallery is carried. Obs.

d. dial. The load or amount carried at one journey: cf. GANG n.1 7.

e. The travelling of a vehicle along a certain route between two fixed points and at a stated time.

4. A military expedition, a campaign, etc. Sometimes, Any military enterprise, as a siege. Obs.

• III. A day's work.

5. A day's labour; hence, a certain fixed amount of daily labour; a daily spell or turn of work (see quots.). Obs. exc. dial. in journey, at work as a day-labourer (obs.).

6. A day's doings or business. Hence, generally, Business, affair. to wish one a good journey, to wish one well through a business. Obs.

7. esp. A day's performance in fighting; a battle, a fight; = DAY 10. to keep the journey, to keep the field, to continue the fight. Obs.