seen better days, have
Be worn out, have fallen into a state of decline, as in This chair has seen better days, or The family business has seen better days. This term was first used by Shakespeare to describe a decline of fortune (Timon of Athens, 4:2) but soon was broadened to describe aging or deterioration in both humans and objects.
QUIZZES
THE SEPTEMBER WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ HAS ARRIVED!
Go ahead, test your mental legerity to see how many words you remember from last month!
Question 1 of 10
Which definition best describes “spang”?
Words nearby seen better days, have
seemer, seeming, seemingly, seemly, seen, seen better days, have, seen one, seen them all, see of, see off, see one's way to, see out
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.