day

[ dey ]
See synonyms for day on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. 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.

  2. the light of day; daylight: The owl sleeps by day and feeds by night.

  1. 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.

  2. an analogous division of time for a planet other than the earth: the Martian day.

  3. the portion of a day allotted to work: an eight-hour day.

  4. a day on which something occurs: the day we met.

  5. (often initial capital letter) a day assigned to a particular purpose or observance: New Year's Day.

  6. a time considered as propitious or opportune: His day will come.

  7. a day of contest or the contest itself: to win the day.

  8. Often days . a particular time or period: the present day; in days of old.

  9. Usually days . period of life or activity: His days are numbered.

  10. period of existence, power, or influence: in the day of the dinosaurs.

  11. Architecture. light1 (def. 19a).

Idioms about day

  1. 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.

  2. day and night. night (def. 11).

  1. 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

1
First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English dæg; cognate with German Tag

Other words from day

  • half-day, noun
  • pre·day, noun

Other definitions for Day (2 of 2)

Day
[ dey ]

noun
  1. Benjamin Henry, 1810–89, U.S. newspaper publisher.

  2. Clarence (Shep·ard) [shep-erd], /ˈʃɛp ərd/, 1874–1935, U.S. author.

  1. Dorothy, 1897–1980, U.S. Roman Catholic social activist, journalist, and publisher.

  2. 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

British Dictionary definitions for day (1 of 2)

day

/ (deɪ) /


noun
  1. 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

  1. the part of a day occupied with regular activity, esp work: he took a day off

  2. (sometimes plural) a period or point in time: he was a good singer in his day; in days gone by; any day now

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. the period of time taken by a specified planet to make one complete rotation on its axis: the Martian day

  6. (often capital) a day designated for a special observance, esp a holiday: Christmas Day

  7. all in a day's work part of one's normal activity; no trouble

  8. at the end of the day in the final reckoning

  9. day of rest the Sabbath; Sunday

  10. end one's days to pass the end of one's life

  11. every dog has his day one's luck will come

  12. in this day and age nowadays

  13. it's early days it's too early to tell how things will turn out

  14. late in the day

    • very late (in a particular situation)

    • too late

  15. that will be the day

    • I look forward to that

    • that is most unlikely to happen

  16. a time of success, recognition, power, etc: his day will soon come

  17. a struggle or issue at hand: the day is lost

    • the ground surface over a mine

    • (as modifier): the day level

  18. from day to day without thinking of the future

  19. call it a day to stop work or other activity

  20. day after day without respite; relentlessly

  21. day by day gradually or progressively; daily: he weakened day by day

  22. day in, day out every day and all day long

  23. from Day 1 or from Day One from the very beginning

  24. one of these days at some future time

  25. (modifier) of, relating to, or occurring in the day: the day shift

Origin of day

1
Old English dæg; related to Old High German tag, Old Norse dagr

Other words from day

  • Related adjective: diurnal

British Dictionary definitions for Day (2 of 2)

Day

/ (deɪ) /


noun
  1. 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

day

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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with day

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.