I have had my day
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
My prime of life is over ; Old Joe, sir . . . was a bit of a favourite . . . once; but he has had his day, — DICKENS: Dombey and Son.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “I have had my day” mean?
My prime of life is over ; Old Joe, sir . . . was a bit of a favourite . . . once; but he has had his day, — DICKENS: Dombey and Son.
Is “I have had my day” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.