night S1 W1 /naɪt/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ night , ↑ midnight , ↑ nightie ; adverb : ↑ overnight , ↑ nightly ; adjective : ↑ nightly , ↑ overnight ]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: niht ]
1 . WHEN IT IS DARK the dark part of each 24-hour period when the sun cannot be seen and when most people sleep OPP day :
It was a cold moonlit night.
I didn’t sleep too well last night.
at night
At night the temperature drops below zero.
in/during the night
He woke up twice during the night.
by night
Many animals hunt by night.
(on) Friday night/that night etc
There was a storm on Friday night.
GRAMMAR
Use at night when talking about what generally or regularly happens then:
▪
The noise of the traffic keeps me awake at night.
Use in the night when talking about an event that happens at some time during the night:
▪
There had been heavy rain in the night.
Use by night to say what a person or animal does at night:
▪
We travelled by night.
When you are mentioning a time before midnight, use at night :
▪
ten o'clock at night
When you are mentioning a time after midnight, use in the morning :
▪
four in the morning
2 . EVENING the time during the evening until you go to bed:
We had a really good meal last night.
They stay in and watch television every night.
She recognised him from the night before (=the previous evening) .
My parents are coming for dinner tomorrow night.
Friday/Saturday etc night
There’s a party at Ben’s place on Saturday night.
We were on our way back from a night out (=an evening when you go to a party, restaurant, theatre etc) at the theatre.
Anna doesn’t like him walking home late at night.
quiz night/student night etc (=an evening when a particular event happens, especially at a bar, club etc)
3 . nights if you do something nights, you do it regularly or often at night:
I work nights, so I’m usually asleep during the day.
4 . night! spoken used to say goodbye to someone when it is late in the evening or when they are going to bed SYN good night :
Night! See you tomorrow!
5 . night night! spoken used to say goodbye to someone, especially a child, when they are going to bed
6 . night and day/day and night all the time:
The store is guarded day and night.
We had to work night and day to get it finished.
7 . night or day/day or night at any time:
You can call me any time, night or day.
8 . night after night every night for a long period:
He’s out drinking night after night.
9 . first night/opening night the first performance of a play or show ⇨ premiere :
We saw ‘Riverdance’ on its opening night.
10 . spend the night with somebody/spend the night together to sleep with someone and have sex with them:
And you thought we spent the night together?
11 . a good night’s sleep a night when you sleep well:
You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.
12 . (have a) late/early night to go to bed later or earlier than usual:
I think I’ll have an early night.
⇨ ↑ late-night
13 . last thing at night at the end of the day, just before you go to bed:
You should water plants either first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
⇨ ↑ nightly
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + night
▪ last night
It rained last night.
▪ tomorrow night
I should be back by tomorrow night.
▪ Friday/Saturday etc night
I haven't seen him since Thursday night.
▪ an early night (=when you go to bed early)
I'm really tired - I need an early night.
▪ a late night (=when you go to bed late)
We had a late night last night.
▪ a long night (=a night when you do not sleep or you work hard)
Everyone was tired and grumpy. It had been a long night.
▪ a sleepless night
She had spent a sleepless night wondering what to do.
■ verbs
▪ spend a night somewhere (=sleep somewhere)
We spent two nights at the Grand Hotel.
▪ stay the night (=sleep at someone's house)
You're welcome to stay the night if you like.
▪ have a bad night (=not sleep well, especially when you are ill)
I had a bad night last night.
▪ night falls written (=it starts to become dark)
It grew colder as night fell.
▪ the night wears on (=continues)
The pain gradually got better as the night wore on.
■ night + NOUN
▪ the night sky
We looked up at the stars in the night sky.
▪ the night air
The night air was scented with pine wood.
▪ a night train/bus/flight
I took the night train to Fort William.
■ phrases
▪ all night
He looked as if he'd been up all night.
▪ all night long (=used to emphasize that something continues for the whole night)
The noise continued all night long!
▪ late at night
We often get to bed very late at night.
▪ at this time of night (=used when something happens very late at night, and you are surprised)
Why are you calling me at this time of night?
▪ late/far into the night (=until very late at night)
Staff worked late into the night to make necessary repairs.
▪ in the middle of the night
She woke up suddenly in the middle of the night.
▪ in/at the dead of night literary (=in the middle of the night when it is quiet)
He drove through the countryside in the dead of night.
▪ day and night/night and day (=all the time)
The phones rang day and night.
▪ morning, noon, and night (=all the time)
She nagged at him morning, noon, and night.