Independence Day
Preserved but no longer current.
July 4th, which is kept as a national holiday in the United States of America, because the declaration by the American States, declaring the colonies free and independent and absolved from all allegi- ance to Great Britain, was signed on that day (1776).
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 “Independence Day” mean?
July 4th, which is kept as a national holiday in the United States of America, because the declaration by the American States, declaring the colonies free and independent and absolved from all allegi- ance to Great Britain, was signed on that day (1776).
Is “Independence Day” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.