day

Syllabification: (day)

Pronunciation: /dā/

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Definition of day

noun

1a period of twenty-four hours as a unit of time, reckoned from one midnight to the next, corresponding to a rotation of the earth on its axis.
the part of a day when it is light; the time between sunrise and sunset:she sleeps all day and goes out at night the animals hunt by day
the part of a day spent working:he works an eight-hour day
Astronomy a single rotation of a planet in relation to its primary.
Astronomy the period on a planet when its primary star is above the horizon.
archaic daylight:by the time they had all gone it was broad day

2 (usually days) a particular period of the past; an era:the laws were very strict in those days
(the day) the present time:the political issues of the day
[with adjective] a day associated with a particular event or purpose:graduation day Christmas Day
a day’s endeavor, or the period of an endeavor, especially as bringing success:speed and surprise would win the day
[usually with modifier] (days) a particular period in a person’s life or career:my student days
(one's day) the successful, fortunate, or influential period of a person’s life or career:he had been a matinée idol in his day
(one's days) the span of someone’s life:she cared for him for the rest of his days

adjective

[attributive]

carried out during the day as opposed to the evening or at night:my day job
(of a person) working during the day as opposed to at night:a day nurse

Phrases

all in a (or the) day's work: (of something unusual or difficult) accepted as part of someone’s normal routine or as a matter of course:dodging sharks is all in a day’s work for these scientists
any day: informal at any time or under any circumstances (used to express a strong opinion or preference):I’d rather live in a shack in the woods than a penthouse in the city, any day you can take me dancing any day of the week; very soon:she’s expected to give birth any day
at the end of the day: see end.
by the day: gradually and steadily:the campaign is growing by the day
call it a day: end a period of activity, especially resting content that enough has been done:we were prepared to do another long march before calling it a day
day after day: on each successive day, especially over a long period:the rain poured down day after day
day and night: all the time:they kept working, day and night
day by day: gradually and steadily:day by day I grew worse
day in, day out: continuously or repeatedly over a long period of time.
day of reckoning: the time when past mistakes or misdeeds must be punished or paid for; a testing time when the degree of one’s success or failure will be revealed.
[with allusion to Judgment Day, on which (in some beliefs) the judgment of humankind is expected to take place]
from day one: from the very beginning:children need a firm hand from day one
have had one's (or its) day: be no longer popular, successful, or influential:power dressing has had its day
if someone is a day: at least (added to a statement about a person’s age):he must be seventy if he’s a day
in this day and age: at the present time; in the modern era:it simplifies housekeeping, which is essential in this day and age
not someone's day: used to convey that someone has had a bad day.
—— of the day: a thing currently considered to be particularly interesting or important:the big news story of the day
one day: at a particular but unspecified time in the past:one day a boy started teasing Grady; (also one of these days) at a particular but unspecified time in the future:he would one day be a great president
one of those days: a day when several things go wrong.
that will (or that'll) be the day: informal that will never happen.
these days: at present:he is drinking far too much these days
those were the days: used to assert that a particular past time was better than the present.
to the day: exactly:it’s four years to the day since we won the lottery
to this day: up to the present time; still:the tradition continues to this day

Origin:

Old English dæg, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dag and German Tag

day in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of day in the British & World English dictionary

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Other

day

noun

adjective

Phrases

all in a (or the) day's work

any day

at the end of the day

by the day

call it a day

day after day

day and night

day by day

day in, day out

day of reckoning

from day one

have had one's (or its) day

if someone is a day

in this day and age

not someone's day

—— of the day

one day

one of those days

that will (or that'll) be the day

these days

those were the days

to the day

to this day

Origin:

day in other Oxford dictionaries

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