day
the interval of light between two successive nights; the time between sunrise and sunset: Since there was no artificial illumination, all activities had to be carried on during the day.
the light of day; daylight: The owl sleeps by day and feeds by night.
Astronomy.
Also called mean solar day . a division of time equal to 24 hours and representing the average length of the period during which the earth makes one rotation on its axis.
Also called solar day . a division of time equal to the time elapsed between two consecutive returns of the same terrestrial meridian to the sun.
Also called civil day . a division of time equal to 24 hours but reckoned from one midnight to the next.: See also lunar day, sidereal day.
an analogous division of time for a planet other than the earth: the Martian day.
the portion of a day allotted to work: an eight-hour day.
a day on which something occurs: the day we met.
(often initial capital letter) a day assigned to a particular purpose or observance: New Year's Day.
a time considered as propitious or opportune: His day will come.
a day of contest or the contest itself: to win the day.
Often days . a particular time or period: the present day; in days of old.
Usually days . period of life or activity: His days are numbered.
period of existence, power, or influence: in the day of the dinosaurs.
Architecture. light1 (def. 19a).
Idioms about day
call it a day, to stop one's activity for the day or for the present; quit temporarily: After rewriting the paper, she decided to call it a day.
day and night. night (def. 11).
day in, day out, every day without fail; regularly: They endured the noise and dirt of the city day in, day out. : Also day in and day out .
Origin of day
1Other words from day
- half-day, noun
- pre·day, noun
Words Nearby day
Other definitions for Day (2 of 2)
Benjamin Henry, 1810–89, U.S. newspaper publisher.
Clarence (Shep·ard) [shep-erd], /ˈʃɛp ərd/, 1874–1935, U.S. author.
Dorothy, 1897–1980, U.S. Roman Catholic social activist, journalist, and publisher.
Also Daye .Stephen, 1594?–1668, U.S. colonist, born in England: considered the first printer in the Colonies.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use day in a sentence
Biden, who has held public events less regularly, has been seen wearing a mask on 28, including on all but five days this month.
In 160 words, Trump reveals how little he cares about the pandemic | Philip Bump | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostThe rules are defined day by day by people with subjective points of view.
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame | Rafael Tonon | September 17, 2020 | EaterWhen you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.
Timeline: The 124 times Trump has downplayed the coronavirus threat | Aaron Blake, JM Rieger | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostEarlier in the day, Redfield had said wearing a mask was more effective than a vaccine.
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump | Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostIt’s light enough to wear in the middle of the day here in the muggy South, and dries fast enough that I usually keep it on while I go overboard for a dip.
The Gear That Lets Me Enjoy the Last Days of Summer | Graham Averill | September 15, 2020 | Outside Online
He added: “People say he deserves his day in court… Do we have enough time?”
Bill Maher: Hundreds of Millions of Muslims Support Attack on ‘Charlie Hebdo’ | Lloyd Grove | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTFor many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion | Nina Strochlic | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“We talked about the science the whole time the other day,” Krauss told The Daily Beast in a phone interview.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking | M.L. Nestel | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTGunshots rang out in Paris this morning on a second day of deadly violence that has stunned the French capital.
In the middle of all of that past suffering and present-day conflict, this Cosby bomb was dropped.
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers | Stereo Williams | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe afternoon was a lovely one—the day was a perfect example of the mellowest mood of autumn.
Confidence | Henry JamesEdna did not reveal so much as all this to Madame Ratignolle that summer day when they sat with faces turned to the sea.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinEach day she resolved, "To-morrow I will tell Felipe;" and when to-morrow came, she put it off again.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonThere are three things a wise man will not trust: the wind, the sunshine of an April day, and woman's plighted faith.
Pearls of Thought | Maturin M. BallouThe proceedings of the day commenced with divine service, performed by Unitarian and Baptist ministers.
British Dictionary definitions for day (1 of 2)
/ (deɪ) /
Also called: civil day the period of time, the calendar day, of 24 hours' duration reckoned from one midnight to the next
the period of light between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from the night
(as modifier): the day shift
the part of a day occupied with regular activity, esp work: he took a day off
(sometimes plural) a period or point in time: he was a good singer in his day; in days gone by; any day now
the period of time, the sidereal day, during which the earth makes one complete revolution on its axis relative to a particular star. The mean sidereal day lasts 23 hours 56 minutes 4.1 seconds of the mean solar day
the period of time, the solar day, during which the earth makes one complete revolution on its axis relative to the sun. The mean solar day is the average length of the apparent solar day and is some four minutes (3 minutes 56.5 seconds of sidereal time) longer than the sidereal day
the period of time taken by a specified planet to make one complete rotation on its axis: the Martian day
(often capital) a day designated for a special observance, esp a holiday: Christmas Day
all in a day's work part of one's normal activity; no trouble
at the end of the day in the final reckoning
day of rest the Sabbath; Sunday
end one's days to pass the end of one's life
every dog has his day one's luck will come
in this day and age nowadays
it's early days it's too early to tell how things will turn out
late in the day
very late (in a particular situation)
too late
that will be the day
I look forward to that
that is most unlikely to happen
a time of success, recognition, power, etc: his day will soon come
a struggle or issue at hand: the day is lost
the ground surface over a mine
(as modifier): the day level
from day to day without thinking of the future
call it a day to stop work or other activity
day after day without respite; relentlessly
day by day gradually or progressively; daily: he weakened day by day
day in, day out every day and all day long
from Day 1 or from Day One from the very beginning
one of these days at some future time
(modifier) of, relating to, or occurring in the day: the day shift
Origin of day
1Other words from day
- Related adjective: diurnal
- See also days
British Dictionary definitions for Day (2 of 2)
/ (deɪ) /
Sir Robin. 1923–2000, British radio and television journalist, noted esp for his political interviews
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for day
[ dā ]
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with day
In addition to the idioms beginning with day
- day after day
- day and night
- day by day
- day in court, have one's
- day in, day out
- day off
- days are numbered, one's
- day to day
also see:
- all in a day's work
- any day
- apple a day
- bad hair day
- break of day
- by the day
- call it a day
- carry the day
- different as night and day
- dog days
- every dog has its day
- field day
- for days on end
- forever and a day
- from this day forward
- good day
- had its day
- happy as the day is long
- heavenly days
- in all one's born days
- in the cold light of day
- in this day and age
- late in the day
- make a day of it
- make one's day
- name the day
- night and day
- not give someone the time of day
- not one's day
- one of these days
- order of the day
- pass the time (of day)
- plain as day
- rainy day
- red-letter day
- Rome wasn't built in a day
- salad days
- save the day
- seen better days
- see the light of day
- that'll be the day
- the other day
- time of day
- tomorrow is another day
- win through (the day)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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