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Canonʹical Hours

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The times with-in which the sacred offices may be performed. In the Roman Catholic Church they are sevenviz. matins, prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline. Prime, tierce, sext, and nones are the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, counting from six in the morning. Compline is a corruption of completoʹrium (that which completes the services of the day). The reason why there are seven canonical hours is that David says, “Seven times a day do l praise thee” (Psalm oxix. 164).

⁂ In England the phrase means the time of the day within which persons can be legally married, i.e. from eight in the morning to three p.m.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Cannæ
Cannel Coal
Cannibal
Cannon (in billiards)
Canoe
Canon
Canon Law
Canonical
Canonical Dress
Canonical Epistles
Canonical Hours
Canonical Obedience
Canonical Punishments
Canonicals
Canopic Vases
Canopus
Canopy
Canossa
Cant
Cantabrian Surge
Cantāte Sunday