Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland: St John's Day is one of the four traditional quarter days in the legal and financial calendar of England, Wales, and Ireland, marking the start of a new quarter for purposes such as settling rents and other periodic payments. It is specifically observed on June 24th.

Usage

• St John's Day is used to refer to the specific calendar date and its associated legal and customary significance.
• It is typically capitalized as it is a proper noun referring to a specific feast day (the Nativity of St. John the Baptist).

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The lease agreement states that rent is due on St John's Day, Midsummer Day, and the other quarter days.
  • Many traditional fairs in the countryside were historically held on St John's Day.

Advanced Usage

• "St John's Day" as a fixed point: The term can be used to denote a fixed date for contractual obligations or historical events.
  • The tenant's notice period expires on the next St John's Day.

Variants and Related Words

• Midsummer Day: A common alternative name for St John's Day (June 24th), especially in secular contexts.
• Quarter day: The general category to which St John's Day belongs. The other three traditional quarter days are Lady Day (March 25), Michaelmas (September 29), and Christmas (December 25).

Synonyms

• Midsummer Day: The secular or calendrical synonym for the same date.
• June 24th: The calendrical date itself.

Notes on Different Meanings

• While primarily a quarter day, "St John's Day" also retains its original religious meaning as the feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist. However, in the specific context of the provided definition, its function as a quarter day is emphasized.

Noun

1. a quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland