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.
the light of day; daylight.
The owl sleeps by day and feeds by night.
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.
an analogous division of time for a planet other than the earth.
the Martian day.
the portion of a day allotted to work.
an eight-hour day.
a day on which something occurs.
the day we met.
(often initial capital letter) a day assigned to a particular purpose or observance.
New Year's Day.
a time considered as propitious or opportune.
His day will come.
a day of contest or the contest itself.
to win the day.
Often a particular time or period.
the present day; in days of old.
Usually period of life or activity.
His days are numbered.
period of existence, power, or influence.
in the day of the dinosaurs.
Architecture. light.
day in, day out, every day without fail; regularly: Also day in and day out
They endured the noise and dirt of the city day in, day out.
day and night. night.
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.
Benjamin Henry, 1810–89, U.S. newspaper publisher.
Clarence (Shepard) 1874–1935, U.S. author.
Dorothy, 1897–1980, U.S. Roman Catholic social activist, journalist, and publisher.
Also Daye Stephen, 1594?–1668, U.S. colonist, born in England: considered the first printer in the Colonies.
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
the part of a day occupied with regular activity, esp work
he took a day off
(sometimes plural) a period or point in time
he was a good singer in his day
in days gone by
any day now
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
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
the period of time taken by a specified planet to make one complete rotation on its axis
the Martian day
(often capital) a day designated for a special observance, esp a holiday
Christmas Day
part of one's normal activity; no trouble
in the final reckoning
the Sabbath; Sunday
to pass the end of one's life
one's luck will come
nowadays
it's too early to tell how things will turn out
very late (in a particular situation)
too late
I look forward to that
that is most unlikely to happen
a time of success, recognition, power, etc
his day will soon come
a struggle or issue at hand
the day is lost
the ground surface over a mine
( as modifier )
the day level
without thinking of the future
to stop work or other activity
without respite; relentlessly
gradually or progressively; daily
he weakened day by day
every day and all day long
from the very beginning
at some future time
(modifier) of, relating to, or occurring in the day
the day shift
First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English dæg; cognate with German Tag
A day is a 24-hour period, or the length of time it takes the Earth to rotate fully on its axis. There are 365 days in a year, and 31 days in the month of January. Most work weeks last five days, and an ordinary weekend gives you two days of freedom before you go back to work or school. Day can also mean the opposite of night, or the time when the sun is up and you're awake. If your grandpa starts his stories with, "Back in my day..." he means an era or a period of time in the past. The Old English root, dæg, means both "day" and "lifetime."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the last meeting held in early July, seven OPEC+ members raised their output quota for a fifth month in a row, by 188,000 barrels per day for the month of August.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026
She holds a dominant lead in the race against … whichever other candidates are in it on any given day.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026
"Arnie had knocked the bag over, climbed in it and spent the night in there, all day Monday, and then on Tuesday morning we took her to dump unbeknownst to me," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
"I've got to say it was probably the busiest day of my whole career," Oberto told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
“The animals should rest a full day before trying to cross the river,” argues Caesar.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
A downpour on Christmas Day caused severe damage to the recreational area, including significant flooding and washouts prompting a massive cleanup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Leigh Day is now bringing a civil legal claim on behalf of 10 families against the trust which ran the school and the London borough of Waltham Forest.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Chargers edge Tuli Tuipulotu is suited up and doing drills with teammates on Day 2 of training camp.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
At one point, the S&P 500 was on track for its biggest intraday recovery on a Fed Day since 2003, Dow Jones Market Data showed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
Then, on December 5, a little more than two weeks before Midsummer’s Day, Endurance set sail from Grytviken.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
His team designs packages that let Bronco SUVs and F-150 owners trick out their rides with unique paint jobs and high-horsepower engine upgrades, a lucrative business these days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Then days after being activated in early May, he landed on the IL again, after aggravating a bone spur in his left foot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
The demanding schedule has meant long rehearsal days and little sleep, but Douglas says it's worth it.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
The strikes could begin as soon as this weekend and would last a few days, U.S. officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Some days, you just can’t catch a break.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
