then-a-daysadv.
/ˈðɛnədeɪz/ rare.
In those days, at that (past) time.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > [adverb] > long ago
yorec900
for longOE
langer1303
long agoc1350
far1362
for yorea1375
of yore ago(ne)a1375
long time1376
of olda1393
anciently1502
langsyne?a1513
oldlya1513
in old season1582
old1609
antiquely1652
then-a-days1688
(the) year one1754
way back1870
in yore1876
way back when1921
1688 R. L'Estrange Brief Hist. Times III. 9 At Length, through a Wonderful Providence (as Providence went Then-a-Days) both these Wants were supply'd.
1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess ii. 87 'Bout then a days we never met wi' cross.
1844 N. Brit. Rev. 2 56 Then-a-days one could acquire a very complete knowledge of chemistry..in a very short space of time.
1898 M. B. Betham-Edwards in Westm. Gaz. 20 July 2/3 Then-a-days, ah! then-a-days, All the months were merry Mays.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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adv.1688