The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Date \Date\, n. [F. date, LL. data, fr. L. datus given, p. p. of
   dare to give; akin to Gr. ?, OSlaw. dati, Skr. d[=a]. Cf.
   Datum, Dose, Dato, Die.]
   1. That addition to a writing, inscription, coin, etc., which
      specifies the time (as day, month, and year) when the
      writing or inscription was given, or executed, or made;
      as, the date of a letter, of a will, of a deed, of a coin.
      etc.
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            And bonds without a date, they say, are void.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   2. The point of time at which a transaction or event takes
      place, or is appointed to take place; a given point of
      time; epoch; as, the date of a battle.
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            He at once,
            Down the long series of eventful time,
            So fixed the dates of being, so disposed
            To every living soul of every kind
            The field of motion, and the hour of rest.
                                                  --Akenside.
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   3. Assigned end; conclusion. [R.]
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            What Time would spare, from Steel receives its date.
                                                  --Pope.
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   4. Given or assigned length of life; dyration. [Obs.]
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            Good luck prolonged hath thy date.    --Spenser.
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            Through his life's whole date.        --Chapman.
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   To bear date, to have the date named on the face of it; --
      said of a writing.
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Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

TO BEAR DATE. In the description of a paper in a declaration, to say it
bears date such a day, is to aver that such date is upon it; and if, on
being produced, it is dated at another day, the variance will be fatal. But
if it be averred it was made on such a day, and upon its production it bears
date on another day, it will not be a variance, because it might have been
made one day and dated another. 3 Burr. 904.