Forms: 3–5 iurn-, 3–7 iorn-, iourn-, (5 iowrn-, iern-); 3, 6 -eie, 3–6 -e, -ay, 3–7 -ey, 4–7 -ee, 5–7 -y, -eye, 6 -aye, 6–7 -ie: 7 jorney(e, journee, -y, 7– journey. [a. OF. jornee (12th c.), journee, F. journée day, day’s space, day’s travel, work, employment, etc. (in OF. also travel, a conference, etc.) = Pr., Sp., Pg. jornada, It. giornata:—pop.L. *diurnāta, f. diurnum day, sb. use of neut. of diurnus of the day, daily, f. dies day. For the suffix -ata, -ada, -ee, -ey, see -ADE. OF. journee corresponded in various senses with med.L. diēta; hence journey and DIET sb.2 agree in some of their senses.]
I. † 1. A day. Obs.
c. 1305. in Rel. Ant., II. 178. Thi dawes beth i-told, thi jurneis beth i-cast.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxiii. 254. All the cytees … senden hym riche presentes so þat at þat iourneye [F. celle jurne] he schall haue more þan lx chariottes charged with gold and syluer.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 155. The thyrde dyshonoure was, that euery man myght … myssayne the Prynce for that Iorney.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Journee, a day or whole day.
† b. Law. Journeys accounts (med.L. diētæ computātæ ‘days counted’), the number of days (usually fifteen) after the abatement of a writ within which a new writ might be obtained. Obs.
1613. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 364. The writ abating for some cause that cannot be imputed to the Plaintifes folly:… himselfe bringing another with speed in the same Court against the same partie, we call it a writ purchased by Iourneys accompts.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 191 b. If it be purchased by Iournies accounts (that is to say, within as little time as hee possibly can after the abatement of the first Writ) … And fifteen dayes have been held a convenient time for the purchase of the new Writ.
1883. Wharton’s Law Lex., Journey’s accounts, the shortest possible time between an abatement of one writ and the issuing of another.
† c. An appointed day; in phr. to give (assign) journey of battle, treaty, to agree to or fix on a day for battle or negotiation. (Cf. OF. mettre journée.) (This has associations with senses 7 and 8.) Obs.
c. 1500. Melusine, 80. I gyue you iourney of batayll at the requeste of the knight straunger on suche day that he shall assigne. Ibid., 291. They had Counseyll that they shuld requyre king Vryan iourney of traytye vpon fourme of peas … And the iourney was assygned by thaccorde of bothe partes on the iiide day.
II. 2. A day’s travel; the distance travelled in a day or a specified number of days.
† a. simply. An ordinary day’s travel, the distance usually travelled in a day. As a measure of distance, varying with the mode of travel, etc.; usually estimated in the Middle Ages at 20 miles.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1291. Fro Bersabe iurnes two Was ðat land ðat he bed him to [MS. two].
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 41/234. Þis holie Man ladde þene dede forth … Fyftene Iorneies grete are day … To þe mount of Ioie.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9192 (Cott.). Þe tune o niniue, Þat was of vmgang thre iorne [Gött. jornays thrie].
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 154. Tancrez was fulle hend, conueied him tuo journez.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xvii. 178. A 52 jorneyes fro this Lond … there is another Lond … that men clepen Lamary.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, xxi. 63. The most surest way is hense a .xl. iurneys, & the other is but .xv. iurneys.
b. With qualification: A (or one) day’s journey = a.; two, three [etc.] days’ journey, the distance travelled in the number of days specified.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 11741 (Trin.). Of þritti dayes Iourney þro Þou shal haue but a day to go.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), v. 15. Fra Beruch three day iourneez es þe cytee of Sardyne.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 200. God sente the prophete Ionas to the grete Cite of Nynyvee, wyche was a thre-dayen Iornay.
1560. J. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 188 b. Trent is … thre dayes Iorney on this syde Venise.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 231. A whole Day’s Journy. Ibid., 261. Sending at least Twelve Days Journy for their Fuel.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 102. The King said to him, How many days’ journey distant?
† c. The portion of a march or expedition actually done in one day, or accomplished each day; a stage of a journey. Obs. or merged in 3.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, vii. 156. They dyde soo moche by there iourneys that they cam to saynt Iames in Galyce.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 177. They set forward the King, and by easy iorneys brought him to London.
1617. Moryson, Itin., To Rdr. ¶ 5. For the First Part of this Worke, it containes only a briefe narration of daily journies.
1759. Johnson, Rasselas, xxxvii. We travelled onward by short journeys.
d. The daily course of the sun through the heavens. (Now taken as fig. from 3.)
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 464. The Sunne, in his daily journey round about this vast Globe.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 559. Scarce the Sun Hath finisht half his journey.
1694. Prior, Hymn to Sun, 3. As thou dost thy radiant journies run.
1719. Watts, Ps. LXXII. II. Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Does his successive journies run.
3. A ‘spell’ or continued course of going or travelling, having its beginning and end in place or time, and thus viewed as a distinct whole; a march, ride, drive, or combination of these or other modes of progression to a certain more or less distant place, or extending over a certain distance or space of time; an excursion or expedition to some distance; a round of travel. Usually applied to land-travel, or travel mainly by land, in contradistinction to a voyage by sea.
The normal word for this in English, often qualified by an adj., or phrase, as a long, short, quick, slow, good, bad, cold, dangerous, difficult, easy, interesting, pleasant, prosperous, successful, tedious, uncomfortable journey; a j. by railway, railway j., j. on foot; j. to London, to the continent, into the country, etc. Phrases: to make or undertake a j.; to take one’s j., to set out and proceed on one’s way.
a. 1225. [see b].
c. 1375. Leg. Rood (1871), 123. When he was þus cumen hame ogayn, Of his iorne he was ful fayne.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4029. To morwe let ous our iorne take, Hamward aȝen to ryde.
1382. Wyclif, Acts ix. 3. Whanne he made iourney, it bifel, that he cam nyȝ to Damaske.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., IX. vii. So forth I went walkynge my iournay.
1526. Tindale, Luke xv. 13. Not longe after the yonger sonne … toke his iorney into a farre countre.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, cvii. 360. Within a shorte tyme they had sayled a great iourney.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 223. Kyng Edwarde … made a iorney into Kente.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 151. And at parting … they wish him a happy journey.
1649. Sir E. Nicholas, in N. Papers (Camden), 149. When you arrive att your jorneyes end.
1667. Temple, Lett. to Sir J. Temple, Wks. 1731, II. 42. My Sister took a very strong Fancy to a Journey into Holland.
1713. Steele, Guard., No. 8, ¶ 4. Being tired … with so many long and tedious journies.
1763. Hume, in Calderwood, Life, viii. (1898), 139. A journey to Glasgow will be one of the first I shall undertake.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 89. When he had made his journey, and accomplished his business.
1888. Ruskin, Præterita, I. vi. 188. On longer days of journey we started at six.
b. fig., esp. the ‘pilgrimage’ or passage through life.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 352. Þe pilegrim iðe worldes weie … monie þinges muwen letten him of his jurneie.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4993. Where Elde abit, I wol thee telle … If Deth in youthe thee not slo, Of this iourney thou maist not faile.
1533. More, Debell. Salem, ii. Wks. 934/2. That murmur and discencion against the clergy was than already farre gone onwarde in hys vnhappye iurney.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. ci[i]. 23. He hath brought downe my strength in my iourney.
1672. Grew, Idea Philos. Hist. Pl., § 3. If we consider how long and gradual a Journey the Knowledge of Nature is.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 645. This life … is a journey, or rather one stage of our journey through matter.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz. (Househ. ed.), 375/1. We used to toast a quicker journey to the old man, and a swift inheritance to the young one.
† c. transf. Any course taken or direction followed; spec. (in making a mine), the line along which the gallery is carried. Obs.
1571. Digges, Pantom., I. xxxv. L iij b. You may make by the former preceptes moste certeine plattes of your iorneis. Ibid. (1591), (ed. 2), xxxvi. Finde out the true distance of the place whither you meane to carrie the mine:… how many degrees from the East, Weast, or other principal Quarters of the Heauens the iourney lyeth.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, I. 32. The beginning and iourney of ye greatest nerue.
d. dial. The load or amount carried at one journey: cf. GANG sb.1 7.
1859. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XX. II. 314. I can … in a few hours have a journey of corn ready for market.
† 4. A military expedition, a campaign, etc. Sometimes, Any military enterprise, as a siege. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 349. Þis laste journe þat Englishemen maden into Flandres.
1417. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. I. 56. Your saide Lifetenaunte … made many greate jernies and hostinges uppon one of the strongest Irishe enimies of Leynstre.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 101 b. Thei lefte that iourney for a tyme, and returned to the Castle … and besieged the same.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 62. The Spanish king neuer enterprised anie sole iourney against the Turke.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 49. Other Deputies used to make some two or three iournies in a Summer against the rebels.
III. A day’s work.
5. A day’s labor; hence, a certain fixed amount of daily labor; a daily spell or turn of work (see quots.). Obs. exc. dial. † In journey, at work as a day-laborer (obs.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5870 (Gött.). Fra þat time nedis had þai, Do tua iornays apon a day.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XVII. 5. When here deuer is don and his daies iourne, Þen may men wite what he is worþ.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), IV. xxx. 349. They that holdeth werkemen in Iourney.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 97. Ordinaunces … against the excessive taking of Masons … and other laborers for their daily iorneis.
1552. Huloet, Iourney with cattell at cartynge, plowynge, opera.
1706. Phillips, Journey … Among Farmers a Days Work, in ploughing, sowing, reaping, &c.
1875. Sussex Gloss., Journey, a day’s work.
1881. I. Wight Gloss., Journey, a day’s work at plough.
fig. 1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 29. For þat nyȝtes iornay sche axede fredom for here mede.
† 6. A day’s doings or business. Hence, generally, Business, affair. To wish one a good journey, to wish one well through a business. Obs.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems, iii. 9. Thare he made his mone playne … And all that land, untill this day, Fars the better for that jornay.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxiv. 113. In þe meen tyme þe Grete Caan died; and forþi þe iournee chaunged efter to þe werse.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 2579. Euer we will be at youre will, What iurney ye will put us tyll.
c. 1475. Partenay, 141. Do it at your owne lesire; For all the labour and iornay is your.
1672. W. Mountagu, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 317. The trial … stands appointed for the 2nd of May; so wish your Lordship a good journey.
† 7. esp. A day’s performance in fighting; a battle, a fight; = DAY 10. To keep the journey, to keep the field, to continue the fight. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 18. Adelwolf his fader saued at þat ilk iorne.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 323. He did mony a fair Iourne, On sarisenis thre derenȝeis did he.
c. 1440. Lonelich, Grail, xiv. 75. A wondirful knyht … That Al this day hath kept the Iorrne Aȝen thy fowre batailles.
1455. Paston Lett., I. 336. Alle the Lordes that dyed at the jorney arn beryed at Seynt Albones.
c. 1500. Melusine, 231. Lordes, barons, auaunce, the iourney is oure, For they may not vs escape.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., 5 Hen. VIII. (1809), 550. The Frenchmen call this battaile the iourney of Spurres because they ranne away so fast on horsbacke.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 171. What crowne could haue bin gained and woon at the iourney of Cannæ.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. I. ii. 84. The Rebels lost in this journey above 800.
† 8. A meeting held on an appointed day, esp. for public business; = DIET sb.2 5. Obs.
c. 1500. Melusine, 291. Thenne came to the iourney of traytye that was assigned the saudants and theire Counseyll.
1529. J. Hacket, Lett. to Wolsey (Cott. Galba MS. B. ix. 157). Som prolongassion of [the] iourne of Spirs.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. 632. They hold their generall councell, called a journey or a diet.
9. A round or turn of work, such as is done at one time, in a day or a shorter space.
a. At the Royal Mint. (a) The coinage of a certain weight of gold or silver, orig. representing the amount of one day’s work: viz. 180.0321 Troy ounces of gold (701 sovereigns or 1402 half-sovereigns), or 720 oz. of silver. (b) The parts of the surfaces of a pair of rolls used to roll fillets down to the thickness of the coin required; supposed to have been so called because after a day’s work it is necessary to select another portion of the surface owing to wear.
a. 1600. Harl. MS. 698 lf. 157. Of every iournie of silver contayning xxx lb. wt. tooe peaces [shall be taken]. Ibid., lf. 169. Certaine pec’s of ev’ry iorny that was coyned the same moneth.
1789. Chron., in Ann. Reg., 230. The pix is a box kept at the Mint into which one piece of every journey is put. A journey is the technical term for the coinage of a certain weight of gold.
1852. A. Ryland, Assay Gold & S., 83, note. The Trial of the Pix is an important and ceremonious proceeding…. Several coins are taken at random from a certain weight, called a journey, and are assayed by the jury.
1867. Chamb. Jrnl., No. 38. 105. Every distinct melting or coinage is technically called a journey;… or rather the entire coining at one time is made up into journeys, each of one hundred and eighty ounces, or fifteen pounds of standard gold.
b. Glass-making. A round of work in the course of which a certain quantity of raw material is converted into glass.
1875. Ure’s Dict. Arts, II. 652. This waste is first of all calcined … from 24 to 30 hours being the period of a journey … in which the materials could be melted and worked into bottles.
1886. Leeds Mercury, 28 Sept., 3/7. If all things were favourable a man could make 57 dozens of bottles on ‘a journey,’ as it was called, in seven hours.
c. slang. A turn of work; a ‘turn’; a time or occasion.
1884. Longm. Mag., V. 179. ‘Well,’ said the policeman…; ‘as for him, he’s got safe enough off, this journey.’
† 10. Machinery. a. = JOURNAL sb. 10. b. See quot. 1833. Obs.
1814–23. [see JOURNAL sb. 10].
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 226. This carriage, with the forms of types properly secured upon it, is adapted to move backwards and forwards upon steady guides or journeys.
11. attrib. and Comb., as journey-bee, -guider, -hack, -milkman, -speed; † journey-bated adj.; journey-book, an itinerary or road-book; journey-money (see quot. 1883); journey-ring, a kind of ring-dial or portable sun-dial; journey-weight = sense 9 a. Also JOURNEYMAN, etc.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., IV. iii. 26. So are the Horses of the Enemie In generall *iourney bated, and brought low.
1714. Mandeville, Fab. Bees (1725), I. 16. Their clergy, rouz’d from laziness, Laid not their charge on *journey-bees.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 358. Mentioned by Antonine the Emperour in *Journey-booke.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 327. As good a stock horse and *journey hack as ever you crossed.
1891. T. Hardy, Tess (1900), 43/1. His *journey-milkmen being more or less casually hired. Ibid. (1883), in Longm. Mag., July, 266. The carter gets what is called *journey-money, that is, a small sum, mostly a shilling, for every journey taken beyond the bounds of the farm.
1899. R. Kipling, Stalky & Co., 186. Here’s your journey-money. Good-bye.
1877. W. Jones, Finger-ring, 452. A brass ring-dial, probably of the kind formerly designated as *‘journey rings.’
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 4 Aug., 1/2. This gives a mere gross *‘journey-speed,’ i.e., speed including stops.
1883. Encycl. Brit., XVI. 483/2. The finished coins are delivered to the mint master in weights called *‘journey weights,’ supposed to be the weight of coin which could be manufactured in a day when the operations of coining were performed by the hand. [Abolished 1901.]
