1 : the time of darkness between one day and the next : the part of the day when no light from the sun can be seen and most people and animals sleep [noncount] ▪ Who are you calling at this time of night? ▪ It's eleven o'clock at night. ▪ She and her husband both work at night and sleep during the day. ▪ The store's open all night. ▪ They were up all night long playing video games. ▪ People keep coming back night after night. [=every night for a period of time] [count] ▪ Let's stop for the night and get a hotel. ▪ a cold, rainy night in the city ▪ Where were you (on) the night of June 20th? ▪ The room costs $100 a/per night. = The room costs $100 for one night. ▪ I stayed up late five nights in a row. ▪ We were woken up in the middle of the night by a loud crash. = (less commonly) We were woken up in the dead of night by a loud crash. ▪ Did you have a good night's sleep? [=did you sleep well during the night?] ▪ Last night, I had the strangest dream. ▪ I had a late night [=I stayed up very late] last night. ▪ Let's call it an early night. = Let's make an early night of it. [=let's go home or go to bed early tonight] ▪ Let's call it a night. [=let's go home or go to bed now] ▪ She'll have to spend/stay the night in the hospital. [=she will have to sleep overnight in the hospital] ▪ He spent many sleepless nights worrying about his children. [=he lay awake at night worrying about his children] ▪ Spend six nights and seven days on a tropical island in the Caribbean! ▪ He spent the night with [=had sex with and slept with] her. ▪ They decided to spend the night together. [=they decided to have sex and sleep together] 2 [noncount] : the darkness that occurs during the nighttime
▪ They walked out into the night. ▪ Her eyes were as black/dark as (the) night. ▪ animals that hunt by night [=in darkness] ▪ When night fell [=when the sky became dark for the night; at nightfall], we walked back to our car. 3 [count] : the final part of the day that is usually after work, school, etc., and before you go to bed : the early part of the night : evening
▪ They go bowling every Tuesday night. ▪ Friday nights, we play cards with the neighbors. ▪ What did you have for dinner last night? ▪ He planned a night of dinner and dancing. ▪ We've planned a night out. [=an evening that you spend outside of your home doing something fun] 4 [count] a : an evening or night that has a special event
▪ Poetry night [=the night when people read poetry aloud] at the café is every Saturday at eight o'clock. ▪ Wednesday night is our family night. [=the night that our family does things together] ▪ Tuesday night is ladies' night at the ballpark/bar. [=on Tuesday evening, women get a special benefit at the ballpark/bar, such as paying only half price for something] ▪ Tomorrow is the play's opening night. [=the play will be performed in front of an audience for the first time tomorrow night]
b : the part of a special day that occurs during the nighttime
▪ Christmas night ▪ They spent their wedding night in a hotel. — compare eve 2