Definition

Proper Noun * A Quarter Day in England, Wales, and Ireland: Midsummer's Day is a fixed date, June 24th, which historically marked one of the four quarter days of the year. These were days on which rents, debts, and other regular payments were traditionally due, and on which servants might be hired. It is also associated with the summer solstice and various traditional festivities.

Usage Examples

• Proper Noun:
  • The lease agreement states that the rent is payable on Midsummer's Day.
  • Many old English contracts used Midsummer's Day as a key date for the start or end of terms.

Advanced Usage

• "Midsummer's Day" vs. "Midsummer Day": The form with the apostrophe-s ("Midsummer's Day") is the standard and traditional spelling, especially in British English, relating to the feast day. "Midsummer Day" is a less common variant.
• Liturgical Context: In the Christian calendar, Midsummer's Day is the feast day of St. John the Baptist (the Nativity of St. John the Baptist), which is celebrated on June 24th.

Variants and Related Words

• Midsummer (n): The period around the summer solstice, typically referring to June 21st or the days close to it. It is a more general term for the season, whereas Midsummer's Day is the specific date.
  • We celebrate the festival at midsummer.
• Quarter Day (n): Any of the four days dividing the year into quarters, on which payments were traditionally due. The others are Lady Day (March 25th), Michaelmas (September 29th), and Christmas (December 25th).

Synonyms

• St. John's Day: A direct synonym, referring to the same feast day on June 24th.
• The Nativity of St. John the Baptist: The formal liturgical name for the day.

Related Concepts

• Summer Solstice: The astronomical event (around June 21st) marking the longest day of the year. Midsummer's Day (June 24th) is the traditional, fixed-calendar celebration close to this event.
• Midsummer Eve: The evening before Midsummer's Day (June 23rd), often associated with bonfires and celebrations.

Noun

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