- day
- dayW1S1 [deı] n▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(24 hours)¦2¦(not night)¦3¦(when you are awake)¦4¦(time at work)¦5¦(past)¦6¦(now)¦7¦(future)¦8 somebody's/something's day9 Independence/election/Christmas etc day10 five/three/nine etc years to the day11 somebody's days12 somebody's/something's days are numbered13 day after day14 from day to day15 day by day16 night and day17 day out18 have an off day19 make somebody's day20 soup/dish/fish etc of the day21 be all in a day's work22 take each day as it comes23 the day of reckoning24 it's (just) one of those days25 it's not somebody's day26 make a day of it27 that'll be the day28 not have all day29 it's not every day (that)30 be on days31 40/50/60 etc if he's/she's a day▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[: Old English; Origin: dAg]1.) ¦(24 HOURS)¦a period of 24 hours▪ We spent three days in Paris.▪ 'What day is it today?' 'Friday.'▪ He left two days ago.▪ I'll call you in a couple of days.▪ The following day, a letter arrived.on a/the following/that etc day(=during a particular day)▪ Over 10,000 soldiers died on that one day in January.▪ What really happened on that day so long ago?▪ I saw Jane the day before yesterday .▪ We're leaving for New York the day after tomorrow .▪ Women generally use up about 2000 calories a day (=each day) .▪ I got an email from Jo the other day (=a few days ago) .2.) ¦(NOT NIGHT)¦ [U and C]the period of time between when it gets light in the morning and when it gets dark≠ ↑night▪ She only leaves her house during the day.▪ It was a cold blustery day.▪ Kept in that dark cell, I could no longer tell whether it was day or night.on a/that/the following etc day▪ She first met Steve on a cold but sunny day in March.by day(=during the day)▪ Owls usually sleep by day and hunt by night.▪ The day dawned (=started) bright and clear.3.) ¦(WHEN YOU ARE AWAKE)¦ [C usually singular]the time during the day when you are awake and active▪ His day begins at six.▪ Jackie starts the day with a few gentle exercises.▪ Sometimes I feel I just can't face another day.▪ 'See you later,' said the girl, 'Have a nice day.' (=used in a friendly way when you say goodbye to someone)▪ It's been a long day (=used when you have been awake and busy for a long time) .all day (long)(=during the whole time you are awake)▪ I've been studying all day. I'm beat!4.) ¦(TIME AT WORK)¦the time you spend doing your job during a 24-hour period▪ I work a ten-hour day.▪ Rail workers are campaigning for a shorter working day .▪ I've got a day off (=a day when I do not have to go to work) tomorrow.5.) ¦(PAST)¦used to talk about a time in the past▪ I knew him pretty well from his days as a DJ in the Bounty Club (=from when he was a DJ) .▪ I always used to do the cooking in the early days of our marriage.▪ Not much was known about the dangers of smoking in those days (=then) .▪ They were very much opposed to the government of the day (=that existed then) .▪ One day (=on a day in the past) , a mysterious stranger called at the house.▪ From day one (=from the beginning) , I knew I wouldn't get on with him.▪ In my day (=in the past, when I was young) , kids used to have some respect for their elders.in sb's student/army/childhood etc days(=in the past when someone was a student etc)▪ I used to run six miles a day in my army days.those were the daysspoken (=used to talk about a time in the past you think was better than now)▪ We used to stay in bed all morning and party all night. Those were the days!6.) ¦(NOW)¦used to talk about the situation that exists now▪ I don't do much exercise these days (=now) .▪ It's incredible that such attitudes still exist in this day and age (=used to express disapproval that something still exists now) .▪ To this day (=until and including now) , he denies any involvement in the crime.up to/until/to the present day(=until and including now)▪ This tradition has continued right up until the present day.7.) ¦(FUTURE)¦used to talk about a time in the futureone day/some day(=some time in the future)▪ I'd like to go and visit the States one day.▪ Some day we might get him to see sense.▪ One of these days (=some time soon) I'm going to walk right out of here and never come back.▪ Kelly's expecting the baby any day now (=very soon) .▪ The day will come (=the time will come) when he won't be able to care for himself any more.8.) sb's/sth's daya successful period of time in someone's life or in something's existence▪ Your grandfather was a famous radio personality in his day (=at the time he was most successful) .▪ Don't be too disappointed you didn't win - your day will come (=you will be successful in the future) .▪ Game shows like that have had their day (=were successful in the past, but are not any more) .9.) Independence/election/Christmas etc daya day on which a particular event or celebration takes place▪ Rioting broke out just three days before polling day.10.) five/three/nine etc years to the dayexactly five years etc▪ It's two years to the day since he died.11.) sb's dayssomeone's life▪ She ended her days in poverty.12.) sb's/sth's days are numberedused to say that someone or something will not exist for much longer▪ It seems that the hospital's days are numbered.13.) day after day also day in day outcontinuously for a long time in a way that is annoying or boring▪ I couldn't stand sitting at a desk day after day.14.) from day to day also from one day to the nextif a situation changes from day to day or from one day to the next, it changes often▪ I never know from day to day what I'm going to be doing.▪ His moods swung wildly from one day to the next.15.) day by dayslowly and gradually▪ Her health was improving day by day.16.) night and day also day and nightall the time= ↑continuously▪ Being together night and day can put a great pressure on any relationship.17.) day outespecially BrE a trip you make for pleasure on a particular day▪ A visit to the caves makes a fascinating and exciting day out for all the family.18.) have an off dayto be less successful or happy than usual, for no particular reason▪ Even the greatest athletes have their off days.19.) make sb's dayto make someone very happy▪ Hearing her voice on the phone really made my day.20.) soup/dish/fish etc of the daya soup, meal etc that a restaurant serves on a particular day in addition to the meals they always offer21.) be all in a day's workif something difficult, unpleasant, or unusual is all in a day's work for someone, it is a normal part of their job22.) take each day as it comes also take it one day at a timeto deal with something as it happens and not worry about the future▪ Since I had the accident, I've learned to take each day as it comes.23.) the day of reckoninga time when you have to deal with the unpleasant results of something you did in the past24.) spoken it's (just) one of those daysused to say that everything seems to be going wrong on this particular day25.) spoken it's not sb's dayused when several unpleasant things have happened to someone in one day▪ It really wasn't Chris's day - he overslept and then his car broke down.26.) spoken make a day of itBrE to spend all day doing something for pleasure▪ If the weather's nice, we'll make a day of it and take a picnic.27.) spoken that'll be the dayused to say that you think something is very unlikely to happen▪ 'Bill says he's going to start going to the gym.' 'That'll be the day!'28.) spoken not have all dayused to say that you want someone to do something faster because you do not have enough time to wait for them to finish▪ Hurry up! I haven't got all day!29.) spoken it's not every day (that)used to say that something does not happen often and is therefore very special▪ Let's go out and celebrate. After all, it's not every day you get a new job.30.) spoken be on daysto work during the day at a job you sometimes have to do at night▪ I'm on days this week.31.) spoken 40/50/60 etc if he's/she's a dayused to emphasize that someone is at least as old as you are saying▪ She's ninety if she's a day.→at the end of the day at ↑end1 (12), call it a day at ↑call1 (10), carry the day at ↑carry1 (22), the early days at ↑early1 (1), every dog (has) its day at ↑dog1 (11), the good old days at ↑old, ↑half day,have a field day at ↑field day, it's early days at ↑early1 (3), it's (a little) late in the day at ↑late1 (8), it's sb's lucky day at ↑lucky, (live to) see the day at ↑see1 (23), name the day at ↑name2 (6), ↑open day,save the day at ↑save1 (12), ↑speech day, ↑sports day▬▬▬▬▬▬▬HINT sense 3Do not say all the day. Say all day.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.
