sennight

plural sennights · alternative sennet · alternative se'nnight · alternative se'night · alternative sevennight · alternative seven-night · alternative seu'night · alternative sev'nnight

1. archaicobsoletepoeticSynonym of week in its various senses, a period of seven consecutive days and nights.

   We leave Bath, as she has perhaps told you, on Saturday se'nnight.

   1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter II, in Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC, pages 26–27

   5 more examples

   I dranke not this sennet A draught to my pay; Elynour, I thé pray, Of thyne ale let vs assay, […]

   c. 1517 (date written; published c. 1545), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth the Booke Called Elynour Rummynge. The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng per Skelton Laureat.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, pages 107–108, lines 394–397

   Marry he trots hard vvith a yong maid, betvveen the contract of her marriage, and the day it is ſolemnizd: if the interim be but a ſennight, Times pace is ſo hard, that it ſeemes the length of ſeuen yeare.

   c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 197, column 1

   And Mrs. Jevvkes tells me, every one names Thurſday come Sev'nnight for our Nuptials.

   [1741, [Samuel Richardson], “[The Journal Continued.] Monday.”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], 3rd edition, volume II, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 153

   Sir Robert Pringle and John Hunter attended the meeting of Heritors intimated here on Sunday gone a se'enight.

   1759 May 24, George Ridpath, “Diary—Volume II”, in James Balfour Paul, editor, Diary of George Ridpath, Minister of Stitchel, 1755–1761 […], Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press by T[homas] & A[rchibald] Constable Ltd. for the Scottish History Society, published 1922, →OCLC, page 248

   It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well yesterday se'nnight.

   1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XVIII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 224

   Synonyms: week in its various senses