The phrase "Against The Day" in Mason & Dixo

[David Morris]

So, besides usages, does the OED offer a definition?  It still seems
from these quotes (but not as uniformly clearly) that my
interpretation of it meaning "a form of preparation or storage of
something to be used at a time appropriate in the future" is
correct....

On Jan 23, 2008 11:39 AM, David Payne <dpayne1912 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:25:42 -0600, Dave Monroe fqmorris at gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Is it ["against the day"] listsed in the OED anybody?
>
> Yes -- it appears in nine usage quotations (BTW, many public and university
> libraries offer free use of the OED online):
>
>
>
> 1560 in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. xvii. 208 Against the day of ordering..,
> to give open recognizations to all men.
>
>
>
> 1596 BACON Elem. Common Lawes (1635) II. i. 21 Against the day they should
> have appeared above, to returne the verdict read in the Court above, which
> returne is called a Postea.
>
>
>
> 1620 J. ROGERS Disc. Christian Watchfulnesse 93 Wee make Queries: and put
> cases, and beate our braines to deceiue our selues against the day of the
> Lord.
>
>
>
> 1761 T. MORTIMER Ev. Man his own Broker ii. (1762) 82 Against the day of
> settling he has made out, what he calls his list.
>
>
>
> 1726 J. THOMPSON Winter 7 Where are..your aerial Magazines reserv'd, Against
> the Day of Tempest perilous?
>
>
>
> 1848 CLOUGH Amours de Voy. I. 106 These, that fanaticized Europe. 1860 Sat.
> Rev. X. 357/2 The object is..to fanaticize the mob against the day of trial.
>
>
>
> 1956 Nature 21 Jan. 120/1 The information can be conveniently stored against
> the day when better interpretation methods allow one to make the fullest use
> of the recordings, without having to reshoot in areas which are often
> exceedingly difficult of access.
>
>
>
> 1966 I. JEFFERIES House Surgeon iii. 31 Anybody graph the survival rates
> against the day of admission?
>
>
>
> 1977 F. BRANSTON Up & Coming Man xv. 172 We..broke open a fine crusted
> bottle of Sainsbury's Spanish which we had been hoarding against the day
> when we could afford to cook in wine again.
>
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