night

night1 [ naıt ] noun ***

1. ) count or uncount the part of each 24-hour period when it is dark:

It was a lovely starlit night.

all night long: It rained all night long.

at night: 11 o'clock at night

by night: Owls hunt by night.

a ) the time when most people are sleeping:

I woke up in the middle of the night.

spend the night: He spent the night in jail.

b ) nights if someone works nights, or is on nights, they go to work at night:

Phil is working nights this week.

─ opposite DAY

2. ) uncount the time between the end of the afternoon and the time when people go to bed: EVENING:

Most nights Jan helps the kids with their homework.

last/yesterday night: Did you watch the game last night?

the other night (=a few nights ago): I came by to see her the other night.

last thing at night: I usually drink tea last thing at night (=just before I go to bed).

a ) count an evening when a particular event takes place:

midsummer night

The next game night is on Thursday.

We're looking forward to a night at the movies.

b ) count a particular evening on which a play or concert is performed:

the opening night of Julius Caesar

the last night of the proms

3. ) SPOKEN used for saying goodbye or good night when you leave someone at night:

Night, then! See you tomorrow!

4. ) singular LITERARY a period of great sadness, failure, etc.:

the dark night of the soul

at this time of night SPOKEN

used for showing your surprise that something is happening very late:

What are you doing here at this time of night?

bad night BRITISH INFORMAL

a night during which you do not get much rest:

Sorry I'm a little irritable, I had a bad night.

call it a night

to stop doing a particular job or activity in the evening because you are tired or have been doing it for a long time:

It's getting late, I'm going to call it a night.

the dead of night MAINLY LITERARY

the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping

early/late night

an occasion when you go to bed earlier/later than usual:

We'll both feel better after an early night.

These late nights are killing me!

make a night of it INFORMAL

to stay out late into the night having fun

night after night

every night for a long period of time

night and day or day and night

all the time:

My sister needs constant attention, night and day.

night falls LITERARY

when night falls, it becomes dark

night night SPOKEN

used for saying GOODNIGHT, especially to a child before they go to bed

night

night 2 [ naıt ] adjective only before noun

happening or existing at night:

the cool night air

a. used at night:

a child's night light

b. traveling at night:

the night train

c. working at night:

the night nurse

d. active during the night:

night creatures