he'd never see the day

[Alex Coseff]

Hello,

I'm not sure how to interpret the phrase in bold. I reckon it' s idiomatic..., however, can't pinpoint exactly what it stands for. I'm familiar with the idiom "see the light of the day", it doesn't seem to be the same (at least to me
Perhaps that it will never happen....?

Many thanks.

G.M.Malliet: Wicked autumn
" The tray held bottles of homemade hawthorn wine, a specialty of hers, and a wine from Montepulciano, not from Mme Cuthbert's shop, then, for Madame recognized no other wine than French. Max had thought he'd never see the day, but he found himself choosing the hawthorn wine."

 

[ewie]

Hullo Alex. Max had thought that such a thing would never ever happen, i.e. he'd never imagined/pictured himself ever choosing anything as unlikely as hawthorn wine.

 

[Alex Coseff]

Hello Ewie,

thanks a lot!