1. A day on which a court (legal, administrative, etc.) is held.
1484–5. Churchw. Acc. St. Dunstan’s, Canterbury, Spent the next Corte day after and suyng of the Corte iijd.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Tours de palais, court dayes, when Judges do sit.
c. 1714. Arbuthnot, etc. Mart. Scribl., xv. The judge took time to deliberate, and the next Court-day he spoke.
1786. Burns, Twa Dogs, 93. I’ve notic’d, on our Laird’s court-day … Poor tenant bodies, scant o’ cash.
fig. 1631. Rutherford, Lett., xiv. (1862), I. 68. To the great Court-day, when all things shall be righted.
2. A day on which a prince holds court.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5901/1. It happened to be the … Court-Day, and there was a more than ordinary Appearance at the Palace.
1786. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, 24 July. The court-days, which require a particular dress.
1836. Hansard, Parl. Debates, Ser. III. XXXII. 243. Members of that House were accustomed on Court-days to carry certain things intended at least to represent swords.
