What is "days of grace"

Day \Day\ (d[=a]), n. [OE. day, dai, dei, AS. d[ae]g; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. dag, G. tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah (for dhagh ?) to burn. [root]69. Cf. Dawn.]

1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the time between sunrise and sunset, or from dawn to darkness; hence, the light; sunshine; -- also called daytime.

2. The period of the earth's revolution on its axis. -- ordinarily divided into twenty-four hours. It is measured by the interval between two successive transits of a celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a solar day; if it is a star, a sidereal day; if it is the moon, a lunar day. See Civil day, Sidereal day, below.

3. Those hours, or the daily recurring period, allotted by usage or law for work.

4. A specified time or period; time, considered with reference to the existence or prominence of a person or thing; age; time.

   A man who was great among the Hellenes of his day.
   --Jowett (Thucyd. )

   If my debtors do not keep their day, . . . I must with patience all the terms attend.
   --Dryden.

5. (Preceded by the) Some day in particular, as some day of contest, some anniversary, etc. The field of Agincourt, Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. --Shak. His name struck fear, his conduct won the day. --Roscommon. Note: Day is much used in self-explaining compounds; as, daybreak, daylight, workday, etc. Anniversary day. See Anniversary, n. Astronomical day, a period equal to the mean solar day, but beginning at noon instead of at midnight, its twenty-four hours being numbered from 1 to 24; also, the sidereal day, as that most used by astronomers. Born days. See under Born. Canicular days. See Dog day. Civil day, the mean solar day, used in the ordinary reckoning of time, and among most modern nations beginning at mean midnight; its hours are usually numbered in two series, each from 1 to 12. This is the period recognized by courts as constituting a day. The Babylonians and Hindoos began their day at sunrise, the Athenians and Jews at sunset, the ancient Egyptians and Romans at midnight. Day blindness. (Med.) See Nyctalopia. Day by day, or Day after day, daily; every day; continually; without intermission of a day. See under By. ``Day by day we magnify thee.'' --Book of Common Prayer. Days in bank (Eng. Law), certain stated days for the return of writs and the appearance of parties; -- so called because originally peculiar to the Court of Common Bench, or Bench (bank) as it was formerly termed. --Burrill. Day in court, a day for the appearance of parties in a suit. Days of devotion (R. C. Ch.), certain festivals on which devotion leads the faithful to attend mass. --Shipley. Days of grace. See Grace. Days of obligation (R. C. Ch.), festival days when it is obligatory on the faithful to attend Mass. --Shipley. Day owl, (Zo["o]l.), an owl that flies by day. See Hawk owl. Day rule (Eng. Law), an order of court (now abolished) allowing a prisoner, under certain circumstances, to go beyond the prison limits for a single day. Day school, one which the pupils attend only in daytime, in distinction from a boarding school. Day sight. (Med.) See Hemeralopia. Day's work (Naut.), the account or reckoning of a ship's course for twenty-four hours, from noon to noon. From day to day, as time passes; in the course of time; as, he improves from day to day. Jewish day, the time between sunset and sunset. Mean solar day (Astron.), the mean or average of all the apparent solar days of the year. One day, One of these days, at an uncertain time, usually of the future, rarely of the past; sooner or later. ``Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband.'' --Shak. Only from day to day, without certainty of continuance; temporarily. --Bacon. Sidereal day, the interval between two successive transits of the first point of Aries over the same meridian. The Sidereal day is 23 h. 56 m. 4.09 s. of mean solar time. To win the day, to gain the victory, to be successful. --S. Butler. Week day, any day of the week except Sunday; a working day. Working day.

   1. A day when work may be legally done, in distinction from Sundays and legal holidays.

   2. The number of hours, determined by law or custom, during which a workman, hired at a stated price per day, must work to be entitled to a day's pay.

Grace \Grace\ (gr[=a]s), n. [F. gr[^a]ce, L. gratia, from gratus beloved, dear, agreeable; perh. akin to Gr. ? to rejoice, cha`ris favor, grace, Skr. hary to desire, and E. yearn. Cf. Grateful, Gratis.]

1. The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.

   To bow and sue for grace With suppliant knee.
   --Milton.

2. (Theol.) The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor.

   And if by grace, then is it no more of works.
   --Rom. xi. 6.

   My grace is sufficicnt for thee.
   --2 Cor. xii. 9.

   Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
   --Rom. v. 20.

   By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.
   --Rom. v.2

3. (Law)

   1. The prerogative of mercy execised by the executive, as pardon.

   2. The same prerogative when exercised in the form of equitable relief through chancery.

4. Fortune; luck; -- used commonly with hard or sorry when it means misfortune. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

5. Inherent excellence; any endowment or characteristic fitted to win favor or confer pleasure or benefit.

   He is complete in feature and in mind. With all good grace to grace a gentleman.
   --Shak.

   I have formerly given the general character of Mr. Addison's style and manner as natural and unaffected, easy and polite, and full of those graces which a flowery imagination diffuses over writing.
   --Blair.

6. Beauty, physical, intellectual, or moral; loveliness; commonly, easy elegance of manners; perfection of form.

   Grace in women gains the affections sooner, and secures them longer, than any thing else.
   --Hazlitt.

   I shall answer and thank you again For the gift and the grace of the gift.
   --Longfellow.

7. pl. (Myth.) Graceful and beautiful females, sister goddesses, represented by ancient writers as the attendants sometimes of Apollo but oftener of Venus. They were commonly mentioned as three in number; namely, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, and were regarded as the inspirers of the qualities which give attractiveness to wisdom, love, and social intercourse.

   The Graces love to weave the rose.
   --Moore.

   The Loves delighted, and the Graces played.
   --Prior.

8. The title of a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop, and formerly of the king of England.

   How fares your Grace !
   --Shak.

9. (Commonly pl.) Thanks. [Obs.]

   Yielding graces and thankings to their lord Melibeus.
   --Chaucer.

10. A petition for grace; a blessing asked, or thanks rendered, before or after a meal.

11. pl. (Mus.) Ornamental notes or short passages, either introduced by the performer, or indicated by the composer, in which case the notation signs are called grace notes, appeggiaturas, turns, etc.

12. (Eng. Universities) An act, vote, or decree of the government of the institution; a degree or privilege conferred by such vote or decree.
    --Walton.

13. pl. A play designed to promote or display grace of motion. It consists in throwing a small hoop from one player to another, by means of two sticks in the hands of each. Called also grace hoop or hoops. Act of grace. See under Act. Day of grace (Theol.), the time of probation, when the offer of divine forgiveness is made and may be accepted. That day of grace fleets fast away. --I. Watts. Days of grace (Com.), the days immediately following the day when a bill or note becomes due, which days are allowed to the debtor or payer to make payment in. In Great Britain and the United States, the days of grace are three, but in some countries more, the usages of merchants being different. Good graces, favor; friendship. Grace cup.

    1. A cup or vessel in which a health is drunk after grace.

    2. A health drunk after grace has been said.

       The grace cup follows to his sovereign's health.
       --Hing.

       Grace drink, a drink taken on rising from the table; a grace cup.

       To [Queen Margaret, of Scotland] . . . we owe the custom of the grace drink, she having established it as a rule at her table, that whosoever staid till grace was said was rewarded with a bumper.
       --Encyc. Brit.

       Grace hoop, a hoop used in playing graces. See Grace, n., 13.

       Grace note (Mus.), an appoggiatura. See Appoggiatura, and def. 11 above.

       Grace stroke, a finishing stoke or touch; a coup de grace.

       Means of grace, means of securing knowledge of God, or favor with God, as the preaching of the gospel, etc.

       To do grace, to reflect credit upon.

       Content to do the profession some grace.
       --Shak.

       To say grace, to render thanks before or after a meal.

       With a good grace, in a fit and proper manner grace fully; graciously.

       With a bad grace, in a forced, reluctant, or perfunctory manner; ungraciously.

       What might have been done with a good grace would at least be done with a bad grace.
       --Macaulay.

       Syn: Elegance; comeliness; charm; favor; kindness; mercy.

       Usage: Grace, Mercy. These words, though often interchanged, have each a distinctive and peculiar meaning. Grace, in the strict sense of the term, is spontaneous favor to the guilty or undeserving; mercy is kindness or compassion to the suffering or condemned. It was the grace of God that opened a way for the exercise of mercy toward men. See Elegance.

Days of Grace is a compilation album by composer C.W. Vrtacek, released on March 12, 1992 through Dom America. It comprises two of Vrtacek's out-of-print records, Victory Through Grace and Days and Days.