day
♦♦♦ day /d'eɪ/ (days)
1 [N-COUNT]
A day is one of the seven twenty-four hour periods of time in a week.
2 [N-VAR]
Day is the time when it is light, or the time when you are up and doing things.
27 million working days are lost each year due to work accidents and sickness...
He arranged for me to go down to London one day a week...
The snack bar is open during the day.
≠ night
3 [N-COUNT] with supp
You can refer to a particular period in history as a particular day or as particular days.
He began to talk about the Ukraine of his uncle's day...
She is doing just fine these days.
4 [PHRASE]
If something happens day after day, it happens every day without stopping.
The newspaper job had me doing the same thing day after day.
5 [PHRASE]
In this day and age means in modern times.
Even in this day and age the old attitudes persist.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that something has seen better days, you mean that it is old and in poor condition.
The tweed jacket she wore had seen better days.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you call it a day, you decide to stop what you are doing because you are tired of it or because it is not successful.
Faced with mounting debts, the decision to call it a day was inevitable...
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone carries the day, they are the winner in a contest such as a battle, debate, or sporting competition. (JOURNALISM)
For the time being, the liberals seem to have carried the day.
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that something has had its day, you mean that the period during which it was most successful or popular has now passed.
Beat music may finally have had its day...
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If something makes your day, it makes you feel very happy. (INFORMAL)
Come on, Bill. Send Tom a card and make his day...
11 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
One day or some day or one of these days means at some time in the future.
I too dreamed of living in London one day...
I hope some day you will find the woman who will make you happy...
12 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
If you say that something happened the other day, you mean that it happened a few days ago.
I phoned your office the other day...
13 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something saves the day in a situation which seems likely to fail, they manage to make it successful.
...this story about how he saved the day at his daughter's birthday party...
14 [PHRASE]
If something happens from day to day or day by day, it happens each day.
Your needs can differ from day to day...
I live for the moment, day by day, not for the past.
15 [PHRASE] amount PHR
If it is a month or a year to the day since a particular thing happened, it is exactly a month or a year since it happened.
It was January 19, a year to the day since he had arrived in Singapore...
16 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
To this day means up until and including the present time.
To this day young Zulu boys practise fighting.
17 [PHRASE] V inflects
If a particular person, group, or thing wins the day, they win a battle, struggle, or competition. If they lose the day, they are defeated. (mainly JOURNALISM)
His determination and refusal to back down had won the day...
18 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR, oft PHR for n
If you say that a task is all in a day's work for someone, you mean that they do not mind doing it although it may be difficult, because it is part of their job or because they often do it.
For war reporters, dodging snipers' bullets is all in a day's work...
19
your day in court: see court
it's early days: see early
at the end of the day: see end
late in the day: see late
someone's days are numbered: see number
the good old days: see oldbad hair day (bad hair days)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
People sometimes say they are having a bad hair day when they do not feel very happy or relaxed, especially because their hair does not look good. (INFORMAL)
All this fuss is because Carol is having a bad hair day.day care
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Day care is care that is provided during the day for people who cannot look after themselves, such as small children, old people, or people who are ill. Day care is provided by paid workers.
...a day-care centre for elderly people.day job
[PHRASE] V inflects
If someone tells you not to give up the day job, they are saying that they think you should continue doing what you are good at, rather than trying something new which they think you will fail at. (HUMOROUS)day nurse|ry (day nurseries)
[N-COUNT]
A day nursery is a place where children who are too young to go to school can be left all day while their parents are at work.
= crècheday of reck|on|ing
[N-SING] usu the N
If someone talks about the day of reckoning, they mean a day or time in the future when people will be forced to deal with an unpleasant situation which they have avoided until now.
The day of reckoning is coming for the water company directors.day off (days off)
[N-COUNT]
A day off is a day when you do not go to work, even though it is usually a working day.
It was Mrs Dearden's day off, and Paul was on duty in her place.day one
[N-SING]
If something happens from day one of a process, it happens right from the beginning. If it happens on day one, it happens right at the beginning.
This has been a bad inquiry from day one...day re|lease
also day-release
[N-UNCOUNT]
Day release is a system in which workers spend one day each week at a college in order to study a subject connected with their work. (BRIT)day re|turn (day returns)
[N-COUNT]
A day return is a train or bus ticket which allows you to go somewhere and come back on the same day for a lower price than an ordinary return ticket. (BRIT; in AM, use round trip ticket)day room (day rooms)
[N-COUNT]
A day room is a room in a hospital where patients can sit and relax during the day.day school (day schools)
[N-COUNT]
A day school is a school where the students go home every evening and do not live at the school. Compare boarding school.day trad|er (day traders)
[N-COUNT]
On the stock market, day traders are traders who buy and sell particular securities on the same day. (BUSINESS)day trip (day trips)
also day-trip
[N-COUNT]
A day trip is a journey to a place and back again on the same day, usually for pleasure.flag day (flag days)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a flag day is a day on which people collect money for a charity from people in the street. People are given a small sticker to wear to show that they have given money.good day
[CONVENTION]
People sometimes say `Good day' instead of `Hello' or `Goodbye'. (OLD-FASHIONED)
Well, I'd better be off. Good day to you.off day (off days)
also off-day
[N-COUNT]
If someone has an off day, they do not perform as well as usual. (INFORMAL)
Whittingham, the League's top scorer, had an off day, missing three good chances.open day (open days)
[N-COUNT]
An open day is a day on which members of the public are encouraged to visit a particular school, university, or other institution to see what it is like. (BRIT; in AM, use open house)pay day (pay days)
also payday
1 [N-UNCOUNT] also N in pl
Pay day is the day of the week or month on which you receive your wages or salary.
Until next payday, I was literally without any money.
2 [N-COUNT] oft adj N
If a sports player has a big pay day, he or she earns a lot of money from winning or taking part in a game or contest. (JOURNALISM)poll|ing day
[N-UNCOUNT]
Polling day is the day on which people vote in an election. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use election day)red-letter day (red-letter days)
[N-COUNT]
A red-letter day is a day that you will always remember because something good happens to you then.some day
also someday
[ADV] ADV with v, ADV with cl
Some day means at a date in the future that is unknown or that has not yet been decided.
Some day I'll be a pilot...speech day (speech days)
[N-VAR]
In some British schools, speech day is a day, usually at the end of the school year, when prizes are presented to pupils and speeches are made by guest speakers and the head teacher. (BRIT)sports day (sports days)
[N-VAR]
In British schools, sports day is a day or an afternoon when pupils compete in athletics contests such as races and the high jump. Parents are often invited to come and watch the events.
1 [N-COUNT]
A day is one of the seven twenty-four hour periods of time in a week.
2 [N-VAR]
Day is the time when it is light, or the time when you are up and doing things.
27 million working days are lost each year due to work accidents and sickness...
He arranged for me to go down to London one day a week...
The snack bar is open during the day.
≠ night
3 [N-COUNT] with supp
You can refer to a particular period in history as a particular day or as particular days.
He began to talk about the Ukraine of his uncle's day...
She is doing just fine these days.
4 [PHRASE]
If something happens day after day, it happens every day without stopping.
The newspaper job had me doing the same thing day after day.
5 [PHRASE]
In this day and age means in modern times.
Even in this day and age the old attitudes persist.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that something has seen better days, you mean that it is old and in poor condition.
The tweed jacket she wore had seen better days.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you call it a day, you decide to stop what you are doing because you are tired of it or because it is not successful.
Faced with mounting debts, the decision to call it a day was inevitable...
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone carries the day, they are the winner in a contest such as a battle, debate, or sporting competition. (JOURNALISM)
For the time being, the liberals seem to have carried the day.
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that something has had its day, you mean that the period during which it was most successful or popular has now passed.
Beat music may finally have had its day...
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If something makes your day, it makes you feel very happy. (INFORMAL)
Come on, Bill. Send Tom a card and make his day...
11 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
One day or some day or one of these days means at some time in the future.
I too dreamed of living in London one day...
I hope some day you will find the woman who will make you happy...
12 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
If you say that something happened the other day, you mean that it happened a few days ago.
I phoned your office the other day...
13 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something saves the day in a situation which seems likely to fail, they manage to make it successful.
...this story about how he saved the day at his daughter's birthday party...
14 [PHRASE]
If something happens from day to day or day by day, it happens each day.
Your needs can differ from day to day...
I live for the moment, day by day, not for the past.
15 [PHRASE] amount PHR
If it is a month or a year to the day since a particular thing happened, it is exactly a month or a year since it happened.
It was January 19, a year to the day since he had arrived in Singapore...
16 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
To this day means up until and including the present time.
To this day young Zulu boys practise fighting.
17 [PHRASE] V inflects
If a particular person, group, or thing wins the day, they win a battle, struggle, or competition. If they lose the day, they are defeated. (mainly JOURNALISM)
His determination and refusal to back down had won the day...
18 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR, oft PHR for n
If you say that a task is all in a day's work for someone, you mean that they do not mind doing it although it may be difficult, because it is part of their job or because they often do it.
For war reporters, dodging snipers' bullets is all in a day's work...
19
your day in court: see court
it's early days: see early
at the end of the day: see end
late in the day: see late
someone's days are numbered: see number
the good old days: see oldbad hair day (bad hair days)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
People sometimes say they are having a bad hair day when they do not feel very happy or relaxed, especially because their hair does not look good. (INFORMAL)
All this fuss is because Carol is having a bad hair day.day care
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Day care is care that is provided during the day for people who cannot look after themselves, such as small children, old people, or people who are ill. Day care is provided by paid workers.
...a day-care centre for elderly people.day job
[PHRASE] V inflects
If someone tells you not to give up the day job, they are saying that they think you should continue doing what you are good at, rather than trying something new which they think you will fail at. (HUMOROUS)day nurse|ry (day nurseries)
[N-COUNT]
A day nursery is a place where children who are too young to go to school can be left all day while their parents are at work.
= crècheday of reck|on|ing
[N-SING] usu the N
If someone talks about the day of reckoning, they mean a day or time in the future when people will be forced to deal with an unpleasant situation which they have avoided until now.
The day of reckoning is coming for the water company directors.day off (days off)
[N-COUNT]
A day off is a day when you do not go to work, even though it is usually a working day.
It was Mrs Dearden's day off, and Paul was on duty in her place.day one
[N-SING]
If something happens from day one of a process, it happens right from the beginning. If it happens on day one, it happens right at the beginning.
This has been a bad inquiry from day one...day re|lease
also day-release
[N-UNCOUNT]
Day release is a system in which workers spend one day each week at a college in order to study a subject connected with their work. (BRIT)day re|turn (day returns)
[N-COUNT]
A day return is a train or bus ticket which allows you to go somewhere and come back on the same day for a lower price than an ordinary return ticket. (BRIT; in AM, use round trip ticket)day room (day rooms)
[N-COUNT]
A day room is a room in a hospital where patients can sit and relax during the day.day school (day schools)
[N-COUNT]
A day school is a school where the students go home every evening and do not live at the school. Compare boarding school.day trad|er (day traders)
[N-COUNT]
On the stock market, day traders are traders who buy and sell particular securities on the same day. (BUSINESS)day trip (day trips)
also day-trip
[N-COUNT]
A day trip is a journey to a place and back again on the same day, usually for pleasure.flag day (flag days)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a flag day is a day on which people collect money for a charity from people in the street. People are given a small sticker to wear to show that they have given money.good day
[CONVENTION]
People sometimes say `Good day' instead of `Hello' or `Goodbye'. (OLD-FASHIONED)
Well, I'd better be off. Good day to you.off day (off days)
also off-day
[N-COUNT]
If someone has an off day, they do not perform as well as usual. (INFORMAL)
Whittingham, the League's top scorer, had an off day, missing three good chances.open day (open days)
[N-COUNT]
An open day is a day on which members of the public are encouraged to visit a particular school, university, or other institution to see what it is like. (BRIT; in AM, use open house)pay day (pay days)
also payday
1 [N-UNCOUNT] also N in pl
Pay day is the day of the week or month on which you receive your wages or salary.
Until next payday, I was literally without any money.
2 [N-COUNT] oft adj N
If a sports player has a big pay day, he or she earns a lot of money from winning or taking part in a game or contest. (JOURNALISM)poll|ing day
[N-UNCOUNT]
Polling day is the day on which people vote in an election. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use election day)red-letter day (red-letter days)
[N-COUNT]
A red-letter day is a day that you will always remember because something good happens to you then.some day
also someday
[ADV] ADV with v, ADV with cl
Some day means at a date in the future that is unknown or that has not yet been decided.
Some day I'll be a pilot...speech day (speech days)
[N-VAR]
In some British schools, speech day is a day, usually at the end of the school year, when prizes are presented to pupils and speeches are made by guest speakers and the head teacher. (BRIT)sports day (sports days)
[N-VAR]
In British schools, sports day is a day or an afternoon when pupils compete in athletics contests such as races and the high jump. Parents are often invited to come and watch the events.