Days Of Yore

Yore is a middle English word for ‘year.’ Today it survives in the idiom days of yore, an expression that is itself is archaic and rarely used, except in humor.

Meaning of Idiom ‘Days of Yore’

Days of yore means the past, especially the distant past; days gone by; older times; former times; long ago.

In archaic literature, this phrase was often seen in the expression ‘in day of yore’ meaning ‘in the distant past.’

Sentence Examples

“In days of yore, wealthy landowners lived in the countryside like petty kings, complete with castles and all the trappings of a mini-kingdom.”

“In days of yore how the noblemen perfected valor!”

” In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.” Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven

“Back in the days of yore, we had to get up and cross the room to change the channel on the television.”

“My grandparents lived like it was the days of yore. They had an outhouse in the backyard!”

“Well, it’s back to the days of yore down at the old barbershop.” — The Muppets (2011)

“Sowed me oats. Acted the rip, the rapscallion. Ran wild, ran free. Of course, this all back in the days of yore.” — Intermission (2003)

“Steadman’s heating it up like the days of yore, when men were men, and when… and that’s another story!” — Rookie of the Year (1993)

“Well, what period is it from?” “It’s from yore. Like the “days of yore,” you know?” “Yes, I do.” — Friends: The One with the Apothecary Table (2000)

Origin

The days of yore is a phrase most often heard in heroic English tales of the past such as stories of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. ¹ Today, it survives mostly in humor and in the popular Christmas song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:

Once again, as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more

The fossil word yore is a middle-English form of the old Englis geara, meaning “of yore.” Geara is the genitive plural of gear, or year. This form, of yore, literally ‘of years’ means ‘in times past.’ Therefore the ‘of’ in ‘days of yore’ is redundant. ² September, 2024.