in church-history, an appellation given to the weekly fast-days, viz. Wednesdays, and Fridays; otherwise called half-fasts, and fasts of the fourth and sixth days of the week.

These fasts are certainly as ancient as Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian, who both mention them; and the reason of their institution is, because on the fourth day of the week the Jews took council to put our Saviour to death, which was actually accomplished on the sixth; however, being in continual use throughout the year, they were not kept with such rigour and strictness as Lent. See the article LENT.