deɪ n. 1
the time between sunrise and sunset. 2 a a
period of 24 hours as a
unit of time,
esp.
from midnight to midnight, corresponding to a
complete revolution of the
earth on
its axis. b a corresponding period on
other planets (Martian day). 3
daylight (clear as day). 4 the time in a day
during which work is
normally done (an eight-hour day). 5 a (also pl.) a period of the
past or present (the
modern day; the
old days). b (prec. by the) the present time (the issues of the day). 6 the
lifetime of a
person or
thing, esp. regarded as
useful or
productive (have
had my day; in my day things
were different). 7 a
point of time (will do it
one day). 8 a the date of a
specific festival. b a day associated
with a
particular event or
purpose (graduation day; payday;
Christmas day). 9 a particular date; a date agreed
on. 10 a day's
endeavour, or the period of an endeavour, esp. as bringing
success (win the day). øall in a (or the) day's work
part of
normal routine. at the
end of the day in the
final reckoning,
when all is
said and done.
call it a day end a period of
activity, esp. resting content
that enough has been done. day
after day
without respite. day and
night all the time. day-boy (or -girl)
Brit. a
boy or
girl who goes daily from
home to school, esp. a school that
also has boarders. day by day gradually. day
care the supervision of
young children during the
working day. day
centre a
place providing care
for the
elderly or
handicapped during the day. day-dream n. a
pleasant fantasy or
reverie. --v.intr.
indulge in
this. day-dreamer a person who indulges in day-dreams. day
in, day
out routinely, constantly. day
labourer an
unskilled labourer hired by the day. day
lily any plant of the
genus Hemerocallis,
whose flowers last
only a day. day
nursery a nursery
where children are looked after during the working day. day
off a day's
holiday from work. Day of
Judgement = Judgement Day. day of reckoning see RECKONING. day of rest the
Sabbath. day out a
trip or
excursion for a day. day-owl any
owl hunting by day esp. the short-eared owl. day
release Brit. a
system of allowing employees days off work for
education. day
return a
fare or
ticket at a reduced rate for a
journey out and
back in one day. day-room a
room, esp. a
communal room in an
institution, used during the day. day-school a school for pupils
living at home. day-to-day
mundane, routine. day-trip a trip or excursion completed in one day. day-tripper a person who goes on a day-trip.
not one's day a day of
successive misfortunes for a person. on one's day at one's peak of
capability. one of
these days
before very long. one of
those days a day when things go
badly.
some day at some point in the
future. that will be the day colloq. that will
never happen. this day and
age the present time or period. øødayless adj. [OE
dóg f. Gmc]