Thanksgiving Day
Preserved but no longer current.
An annual holiday in U.S.A. usually held on the last Thursday in November and observed as an acknowledgement of the divine favours received during the year. It was first celebrated by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. After the Revolution it became general throughout the Republic, and since 1863 its observance has been annually recom- mended by the President.
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 “Thanksgiving Day” mean?
An annual holiday in U.S.A. usually held on the last Thursday in November and observed as an acknowledgement of the divine favours received during the year. It was first celebrated by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. After the Revolution it became general throughout the Republic, and since 1863 its observance has been annually recom- mended by the President.
Is “Thanksgiving Day” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.