(sometimes initial capital letter) the evening or the day before a holiday, church festival, or any date or event.
Christmas Eve; the eve of an execution.
the period preceding or leading up to any event, crisis, etc..
on the eve of the American Revolution.
the evening.
(in the Bible) the name of the first woman: wife of Adam and progenitor of the human race.
a female given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “life.”
the evening or day before some special event or festival
( capital when part of a name )
New Year's Eve
the period immediately before an event
on the eve of civil war
an archaic word for evening
1200–50; Middle English; variant of even 2
An eve is the day — or night — just before some event. You might call the day before your birthday your "birthday eve." Some holidays are well-known for having the proceeding days distinguished as eves: many of us celebrate New Year's Eve, others gather for meals on Christmas Eve or Passover Eve, and the word "Halloween" comes from "All Hallow's Eve." The word eve is sometimes also a shortened form of evening, the last part of the day: "It stays light so late on a summer's eve."
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As LeBron James dominated the news cycle regarding his future on the eve of NBA free agency, the Lakers retained a different piece of their lineup.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
He arrived at Boston Common on the eve of the Haiti match and as the anticipation, ahead of Scotland's return to the game's biggest stage, was close to fever pitch.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
In 1824 and 1825, Lafayette returned to the U.S. for a victory lap, visiting all 24 states on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
The event is expected to feature military bands, flyovers, tributes to the armed forces and a speech by the Republican president on the eve of the July 4 holiday.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
It is the eve of Shabbat, and we feel fortunate to be able to celebrate our day of rest with hope and joy.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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.
