have seen one's day

present singular third person has seen one's day · participle present having seen one's day · participle past had seen one's day · past had seen one's day · alternative have had one's day · alternative have had one's day under the sun

1. idiomaticOf a person, thing, idea, etc., to be at the point in a life cycle or career of no longer being useful or effective; to be worn-out.

   Now, as you say, and most every other one says, the grooving plan has seen its day. We must try some other plan.

   1855 December 22, “To the Editor”, in New York Times, retrieved 18 Jul 2010

   2 more examples

   The old Boeing flying boats have seen their day, he added. They will be replaced with more economical land planes.

   1945 December 18, “Pan American Reopens Pacific Flights to Manila”, in Milwaukee Journal, retrieved 18 Jul 2010

   Written off by most observers as a champion who had seen his day, the Sampras who stalked the courts as world number one for six straight years in the 1990s rose from the ashes to add to his lustre with a record-setting 14th Grand Slam title.

   2002 September 10, “Sampras polishes his status as tennis legend”, in Dispatch Online, South Africa, retrieved 18 Jul 2010