night

[ nahyt ]

noun

1. the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
2. the beginning of this period; nightfall.
3. the darkness of night; the dark.
4. a condition or time of obscurity, ignorance, sinfulness, misfortune, etc.:

   the long night of European history known as the Dark Ages.

5. (sometimes initial capital letter) an evening used or set aside for a particular event, celebration, or other special purpose:

   a night on the town; poker night; New Year's Night.

adjective

1. of or relating to night:

   the night hours.

2. occurring, appearing, or seen at night:

   a night raid; a night bloomer.

3. used or designed to be used at night:

   to take a night coach; the night entrance.

4. working at night:

   night nurse; the night shift.

5. active at night:

   the night feeders of the jungle.

night

/ naɪt /

noun

1. the period of darkness each 24 hours between sunset and sunrise, as distinct from day
2. modifier of, occurring, working, etc, at night

   a night nurse

3. the occurrence of this period considered as a unit

   four nights later they left

4. the period between sunset and retiring to bed; evening
5. the time between bedtime and morning

   she spent the night alone

6. the weather conditions of the night

   a clear night

7. the activity or experience of a person during a night
8. sometimes capital any evening designated for a special observance or function
9. nightfall or dusk
10. a state or period of gloom, ignorance, etc
11. make a night of it
    to go out and celebrate for most of the night
12. night and day
    continually

    that baby cries night and day

Derived Forms

• ˈnightˌlike, adjective
• ˈnightless, adjective

Other Words From

• nightless adjective
• nightless·ly adverb
• nightlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of night¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English niht, neaht; cognate with German Nacht, Gothic nahts, Latin nox (stem noct- ), Greek nýx (stem nykt- )

Word History and Origins

Origin of night¹

Old English niht; compare Dutch nacht, Latin nox, Greek nux

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. night and day, Also day and night.
   1. unceasingly; continually:

      She worked night and day until the job was done.

   2. a complete difference; completely different:

      The improvement in her grades after tutoring was like night and day.

More idioms and phrases containing night

• black as night
• call it a day (night)
• dead of (night)
• different as night and day
• good night
• make a day (night) of it
• ships that pass in the night

Example Sentences

People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.

From The Daily Beast

On Dec. 22, 1799, Sands told her cousins that she would be leaving to elope with a fellow boarder named Levi Weeks that night.

From The Daily Beast

As of Thursday night, the brothers remained on the loose, last seen in northern France.

From The Daily Beast

At the moment, the only chance I get is when I go do Late Night with Seth Meyers.

From The Daily Beast

Are you bi-coastal now, between Portlandia and Late Night with Seth Meyers?

From The Daily Beast

The night wore on, and the clock downstairs was striking the hour of two when she suddenly awakened.

From Project Gutenberg

Without preface, he abruptly asked, what had been told him of the Duke of Wharton's behaviour the preceding night.

From Project Gutenberg

Nevertheless the evening and the night passed away without incident.

From Project Gutenberg

While they were doing this, he assembled the officers around him, and the meaning of our night march was explained to us.

From Project Gutenberg

Last night I saw Jean Baptiste lying prone upon the floor, and knew that she had beaten him down to it, and he had not resisted.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• midnight