back in (my/the) day
Meaning(s)
1. looking back to an idealized memory of the past
Popularity
Medium
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
better back in my/the day
Analysis
This phrase is usually used by an older person speaking to much younger people about how things were in the past. This phrase is a substitution for 'when I was young' or 'when I was in my prime.' It can be used to complain or show regret for how things have changed since a time in the past. It could be used in social or professional situations: "Back in my day, we all walked to school." "Back in my day workers would stay in the office for as long as it took to get the project finished."
Social Examples (Basic)
- Back in the day, we didn't have fancy computers as we have now.
- Back in my day, kids used to play outside instead of indoors all the time.
- "Back in my day, you could buy a house for £5000," said the grandfather to his grandchildren.
- "In my day, women were not encouraged to go to university," said the woman during her speech at the conference.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- I hate working on a Bank Holiday. Back in the day, shops weren't even open on Bank Holidays!
- These arguments in the workplace can't continue. Back in my day, you would have been fired for talking to your boss like that!