time immemorial
–noun | 1. | Also called time out of mind. time in the distant past beyond memory or record: Those carvings have been there from time immemorial. |
| 2. | Law. time beyond legal memory, fixed by statute in England as prior to the beginning of the reign of Richard I (1189). |
Origin: 1595–1605
time immemorial n.
pl. times immemorial
Time long past, beyond memory or record. Also called time out of mind. Law Time antedating legal records.
|
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source