Twelfth Night
- the evening before Twelfth Day, formerly observed with various festivities.
- the evening of Twelfth Day itself.
- (italics) a comedy (1602) by Shakespeare.
Origin of Twelfth Night
Examples from the Web for twelfth night
Historical Examples of twelfth night
So the children began at once to plan for the Twelfth-night festival.
Rafael in ItalyEtta Blaisdell McDonald
Let all idle gazers, then, in the streets of London beware of Twelfth-night!
The Book of ChristmasThomas K. Hervey
It is this,—that if you will send him word to come again, he will be here by Twelfth-night.
The Mistletoe BoughAnthony Trollope
Do you know this is Twelfth-night—the night for telling fortunes?
ThrockmortonMolly Elliot Seawell
Perhaps you know why she went to the ball on Twelfth-Night in disguise!
The Span o' LifeWilliam McLennan
Twelfth Night
- the evening of Jan 5, the eve of Twelfth Day, formerly observed with various festal celebrations
- the evening of Twelfth Day itself
- (as modifier)Twelfth-Night customs
Twelfth Night
A comedy by William Shakespeare. The two central characters are a twin brother and sister; each thinks that the other has been lost at sea. The sister disguises herself as a boy and goes to serve the duke of the country, a bitter man disappointed in love. The brother reappears and marries the woman whom the duke has been pursuing, and his sister marries the duke. Twelfth Night begins with the line “If music be the food of love, play on.”