There’s a whole set of expressions that come alive when the sun goes down. In this article, we’ll explore idioms for night, shedding light on what they mean and how they’re used.
So, let’s dive into the world of “Burning the midnight oil” and other night-themed idioms!
What is an idiom for night?
Idioms for night are phrases that convey a special meaning or idea related to nighttime. They add a touch of color and imagery to our conversations.
Let’s take a look at some common idioms for night and understand what they really mean:
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Burning the midnight oil | To work or study late into the night. | “I have a big exam tomorrow, so I’ll be burning the midnight oil to prepare.” |
| The dead of night | The darkest and quietest part of the night, typically around midnight. | “The spooky sounds only come out in the dead of night.” |
| Night owl | Someone who prefers staying up late at night. | “My friend is a night owl; she loves watching movies until dawn.” |
| Up all night | To stay awake throughout the entire night. | “They were up all night talking and laughing.” |
| Night and day | To be completely different or opposite. | “Her attitude towards school changed night and day after she met her new teacher.” |
| Nightcap | A small alcoholic drink consumed before bedtime. | “I enjoy a warm cup of tea as my nightcap before going to sleep.” |
| Pitch black | Completely dark, without any light. | “The room was pitch black; I couldn’t see a thing.” |
| In the dark | Unaware or uninformed about something. | “I was completely in the dark about the surprise party.” |
| All-nighter | Staying up all night to study, work, or complete a task. | “I had to pull an all-nighter to finish my project on time.” |
| Night shift | Working during the nighttime hours, typically at a job that operates 24/7. | “My mom works the night shift at the hospital.” |
| Sleep like a log | To sleep very soundly and deeply. | “After the long hike, I slept like a log.” |
| Nightfall | The time when evening begins and darkness falls. | “The stars come out at nightfall.” |
| Midnight snack | A small meal or snack eaten late at night. | “I usually have a midnight snack before going to bed.” |
| Bedtime story | A story told before going to sleep. | “My dad used to read me a bedtime story every night.” |
| Night in shining armor | A humorous play on words, referring to someone who comes to the rescue at night. | “My best friend is my night in shining armor; he’s always there when I need help.” |
| Night watch | Keeping guard or staying awake at night to ensure safety. | “The security guard was on night watch duty.” |
| Night breeze | A cool and refreshing breeze that blows during the night. | “I love sitting on the porch and feeling the gentle night breeze.” |
| Night sky | The expanse of the sky visible at night, often with stars and the moon. | “The night sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly.” |
| Night terrors | Intense and frightening nightmares, often experienced by children. | “My little sister sometimes has night terrors and wakes up screaming.” |
| Night fever | A playful twist on “Saturday Night Fever,” referring to dancing or partying at night. | “We had a case of night fever and danced until dawn.” |
| Nighttime rituals | Habits or activities performed before bedtime. | “My nighttime rituals include brushing my teeth and reading a book.” |
| Night train | A train that runs during the night hours. | “We took the night train to our destination to save time.” |
| Nightcrawler | A person who is active or comes to life at night. | “He’s a nightcrawler; he enjoys going out late with friends.” |
| Night sky’s the limit | There are endless possibilities, especially during nighttime. | “When it comes to creativity, the night sky’s the limit.” |
| Nightingale | A bird known for its beautiful singing, often associated with nighttime serenades. | “The nightingale’s song filled the quiet night.” |
| Night out on the town | Going out to have fun and enjoy the nightlife of a city. | “We had a fantastic night out on the town with friends.” |
| Night and fog | A reference to “Night and Fog,” signifying a period of darkness and confusion. | “During the power outage, our neighborhood was in night and fog.” |
The night is like a soft, dark blanket that wraps around the world, covering it in peaceful silence. For more comparisons to describe the night, you can check this link: Similes for night. And for a variety of metaphors related to the night, you can explore this link: Metaphors for night.
Idioms for Night
1. Burning the midnight oil
Meaning: To work or study late into the night.
In a Sentence: “I have a big exam tomorrow, so I’ll be burning the midnight oil to prepare.”
2. The dead of night
Meaning: The darkest and quietest part of the night, usually around midnight.
In a Sentence: “The spooky sounds only come out in the dead of night.”
3. Night owl
Meaning: Someone who prefers staying up late at night.
In a Sentence: “My friend is a night owl; she loves watching movies until dawn.”
4. Up all night
Meaning: To stay awake throughout the entire night.
In a Sentence: “They were up all night talking and laughing.”
5. Night and day
Meaning: To be completely different or opposite.
In a Sentence: “Her attitude towards school changed night and day after she met her new teacher.”
6. Nightcap
Meaning: A small alcoholic drink, typically consumed before bedtime.
In a Sentence: “I enjoy a warm cup of tea as my nightcap before going to sleep.”
7. Pitch black
Meaning: Completely dark, without any light.
In a Sentence: “The room was pitch black; I couldn’t see a thing.”
8. In the dark
Meaning: To be unaware or uninformed about something.
In a Sentence: “I was completely in the dark about the surprise party.”
9. All-nighter
Meaning: Staying up all night to study, work, or complete a task.
In a Sentence: “I had to pull an all-nighter to finish my project on time.”
10. Night shift
Meaning: Working during the nighttime hours, typically at a job that operates 24/7.
In a Sentence: “My mom works the night shift at the hospital.”
11. Sleep like a log
Meaning: To sleep very soundly and deeply.
In a Sentence: “After the long hike, I slept like a log.”
12. Nightfall
Meaning: The time when evening begins and darkness falls.
In a Sentence: “The stars come out at nightfall.”
13. Midnight snack
Meaning: A small meal or snack eaten late at night.
In a Sentence: “I usually have a midnight snack before going to bed.”
14. Bedtime story
Meaning: A story told to someone, often a child, before they go to sleep.
In a Sentence: “My dad used to read me a bedtime story every night.”
15. Night in shining armor
Meaning: A humorous play on words, referring to a knight in shining armor but with a “night” twist. It means someone who comes to the rescue at night.
In a Sentence: “My best friend is my night in shining armor; he’s always there when I need help.”
16. Night watch
Meaning: Keeping guard or staying awake at night to ensure safety.
In a Sentence: “The security guard was on night watch duty.”
17. Night breeze
Meaning: A cool and refreshing breeze that blows during the night.
In a Sentence: “I love sitting on the porch and feeling the gentle night breeze.”
18. Night sky
Meaning: The expanse of the sky visible at night, often with stars and the moon.
In a Sentence: “The night sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly.”
19. Night terrors
Meaning: Intense and frightening nightmares, often experienced by children.
In a Sentence: “My little sister sometimes has night terrors and wakes up screaming.”
20. Night fever
Meaning: A playful twist on “Saturday Night Fever,” referring to dancing or partying at night.
In a Sentence: “We had a case of night fever and danced until dawn.”
21. Nighttime rituals
Meaning: Habits or activities performed before bedtime.
In a Sentence: “My nighttime rituals include brushing my teeth and reading a book.”
22. Night train
Meaning: A train that runs during the night hours.
In a Sentence: “We took the night train to our destination to save time.”
23. Nightcrawler
Meaning: A person who is active or comes to life at night.
In a Sentence: “He’s a nightcrawler; he enjoys going out late with friends.”
24. Night sky’s the limit
Meaning: There are endless possibilities, especially during nighttime.
In a Sentence: “When it comes to creativity, the night sky’s the limit.”
25. Nightingale
Meaning: A bird known for its beautiful singing, often associated with nighttime serenades.
In a Sentence: “The nightingale’s song filled the quiet night.”
26. Night out on the town
Meaning: Going out to have fun and enjoy the nightlife of a city.
In a Sentence: “We had a fantastic night out on the town with friends.”
27. Night and fog
Meaning: A reference to “Night and Fog,” a French documentary film about the Holocaust. It signifies a period of darkness and confusion.
In a Sentence: “During the power outage, our neighborhood was in night and fog.”
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1:
- What does the idiom “Burning the midnight oil” mean?
a) To extinguish a fire at midnight
b) To work or study late into the night
c) To have a midnight snack
d) To go to bed early
Quiz 2:
- What is the meaning of the idiom “Pitch black”?
a) Partially dark
b) Completely dark, without any light
c) Faintly lit
d) Lit with artificial light
Quiz 3:
- If someone is described as a “Night owl,” what does it imply?
a) They are an actual owl that comes out at night
b) They prefer staying up late at night
c) They sleep during the day and are awake at night
d) They only come out at night to socialize
Quiz 4:
- What does the idiom “Up all night” mean?
a) To take a long nap during the night
b) To stay awake throughout the entire night
c) To sleep deeply at night
d) To wake up early in the morning
Quiz 5:
- What does the idiom “Sleep like a log” imply?
a) To have trouble sleeping
b) To wake up frequently during the night
c) To sleep very soundly and deeply
d) To have restless dreams at night
Quiz 6:
- If someone works during the nighttime hours, what can we say about their job?
a) They have a daytime job
b) They have a night owl job
c) They work the night shift
d) They are nocturnal
Quiz 7:
- What does the idiom “Night and day” mean?
a) To describe a 24-hour period
b) To be completely different or opposite
c) To experience day and night simultaneously
d) To have a consistent routine
Quiz 8:
- What is the meaning of the idiom “Midnight snack”?
a) A large meal eaten at midnight
b) A snack eaten before bedtime
c) A meal eaten early in the evening
d) A snack eaten in the morning
Quiz 9:
- What does the idiom “In the dark” suggest?
a) To be completely unaware or uninformed about something
b) To have excellent night vision
c) To be surrounded by darkness at night
d) To be very knowledgeable about nighttime activities
Quiz 10:
- What is the meaning of the idiom “Night out on the town”?
a) Going out to enjoy the daytime sights of a city
b) Staying at home during the night
c) Going out to have fun and enjoy the nightlife of a city
d) Going out for a morning walk
Feel free to use these quiz questions to test your knowledge of the idioms related to nighttime!
Conclusion
These idioms for night add a touch of mystery and vivid imagery to our language, helping us express ideas related to the nighttime hours. Whether you’re “burning the midnight oil” or enjoying a “nightcap,” understanding these expressions can make your conversations after dark more colorful and meaningful.
