Yes"ter*day , adv. On the day last past; on the day preceding to-day; as, the affair took place yesterday.

Yes"ter*day (?), n. [OE. ȝisterdai, AS. geostran dæg, from geostran, geostra, giestran, gistran, gystran, yesterday (akin to D. gisteren, G. gestern, OHG. gestaron, Icel. gær yesterday, to-morrow, Goth. gistradagis to-morrow, L. heri yesterday, Gr. ?, Skr. hyas) + dæg day. Cf. Hestern. ????.]

1. The day last past; the day next before the present.

All our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Shak.

We are but of yesterday, and know nothing. Job viii. 9.

2. Fig.: A recent time; time not long past.

The proudest royal houses are but of yesterday, when compared with the line of supreme pontiffs. Macaulay.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913