From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdayday /deɪ/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 24 hours [countable]TMC 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.on a ... day We’ll have to hold the party on a different day.(on) that/the following/the previous day (=during a particular day) What really happened on that day so long ago? Over 10,000 soldiers died on that one day in January. The following day, a letter arrived. I saw Jane the day before yesterday. We’re leaving for New York the day after tomorrow. I got an email from Sue the other day (=a few days ago). Women generally use up about 2,000 calories a day (=each day).2 not night [countable, uncountable]TMC the period of time between when it gets light in the morning and when it gets dark OPP 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 ... 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 [countable usually singular]PERIOD OF TIME 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. It’s been a long day (=used when you have been awake and busy for a long time).all day (long) I’ve been studying all day. I’m beat!4 time at workPERIOD OF TIME [countable] 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 pastTHEN [countable] 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 somebody’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 days spoken (=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 nowNOW [countable] 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 [countable] 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 anymore.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 reckoningSPOKEN PHRASES24 → it’s (just) one of those days25 → it’s not somebody’s day26 → make a day of it27 → make my day28 → that’ll be the day29 → I/we don’t have all day30 → it’s not every day (that)31 → back in the day32 → be on days33 → 40/50/60 etc if he’s/she’s a day → at the end of the day at end1(11), → 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(8), → half day, → have a field day at field day(1), → it’s early days at early1(3), → it’s (a little) late in the day at late1(8), → it’s somebody’s lucky day at lucky(5), → (live to) see the day at see1(22), → name the day at name2(6), → open day, → save the day at save1(12), → speech day, sports dayCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a period of 24 hoursADJECTIVES/NOUN + day every/each dayThe museum is open to visitors every day.the same daySimilar student protests took place on the same day in other towns.the next/the following day (=the day after something happened in the past)The story was in the newspaper the following day.the previous day (=the day before something happened in the past)I had been to the doctor the previous day.a big day (=a day when something important is arranged to take place)Just before the big day the team was training 6 days a week.a holy dayFriday is the Muslim holy day.a historic day (=a day when an event that is historically important happens)This was a historic day for the space program.a school day (=a day when children go to school)It’s a school day tomorrow, so you need an early night.election/market etc day (=the day when an election, market etc takes place)Wednesday is market day in Oxford.Christmas/Easter/Independence etc DayWhat day of the week is Christmas Day this year?somebody’s wedding day (=the day when someone gets married)She wanted everything to be perfect for her wedding day.phrasesthe day before yesterdayWe arrived in France the day before yesterday.the day after tomorrowHow about meeting for lunch the day after tomorrow?the other day (=a few days ago)Mark called the other day.24 hours a day (=during the whole day and night)In Cairo, the streets are busy 24 hours a day.$15/5 grams/50 etc per day (=used when saying how much someone earns or is paid each day)They get about £45 per day. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: the time during the day when you are awake and activeadjectivesa good day (=in which things have happened in the way you want)Have you had a good day at work?a bad day (=in which things have happened in a way you do not want)I’ve had a really bad day !a nice/lovely/happy day (=enjoyable)We’ve had a lovely day at the beach.a beautiful/lovely/glorious day (=with very nice weather)It was a beautiful day yesterday, wasn’t it?a hard day (=difficult and tiring)Sit down – you look as though you’ve had a hard day.a long dayI got up at 5 this morning so it’s been a long day.verbshave a good/bad/long etc daySimon looked as if he’d had a bad day at the office.spend the day doing somethingI spent the day shopping with my friends.start the day (=do something at the beginning of a day)You should start the day with a good breakfast.end the day (=do something at the end of a day)We ended the day at a little restaurant by the beach.phraseshave a nice/good day! spoken (=used when saying goodbye to someone in a friendly way)Bye Sam! Have a good day! GRAMMAR: Patterns with dayon a day• Something happens on a particular day: We met on our first day at college. ✗Don’t say: in our first dayin the day• You use in the day when saying that something happens regularly during the time between dawn and sunset: It gets very hot in the day.She works at night and sleeps in the day. ✗Don’t say: She sleeps on the day.by day• By day is very similar in meaning to in the day. It is used especially to make a contrast between the night and the day: He’s an office worker by day and a club DJ by night.all day• If you do something all day, you do it during all or most of the time between dawn and sunset: We’ve been driving all day.The restaurant serves food all day. ✗Don’t say: all the day
Examples from the Corpus
day• It rained all day.• The white men forget us and death comes almost every day for some of my people.• Pressler spent four days in Cuba during a Caribbean tour.• Did you have a good day at the office?• I work an eight-hour day.• Next day the doctor prescribed small yellow pills for vertigo.• One day Mulholland was approached by a man in a carriage who demanded to know his name and what he was doing.• Yeah, but you had, like, three shots at this the other day.• They want to arrange their own lunches, decide for themselves how to spend some days.• It was cold and the days were getting shorter.• "What day is today?" "It's Friday."(on) that/the following/the previous day• Answering the indictment on Feb. 26, Zhivkov pleaded not guilty, as did Balev on the following day.• They will be on the long road home on the following day, and few could afford to fly.• Exploring the house on the following day or the day after that, she had ventured into the Deathbed Room.• I decided to clear the laboratory and to leave the island on the following day.• That second night in the porch was enough and I resolved to move on the following day, whatever happened.• However, a similar action by Army officers took place on the following day.• Fitzroy acquiesced and said that they would be placed in a Reading Room on the following day.• A sale on the following day will include topographical maps and books.by day• Once the horse understands what is required of him, he should enjoy his work and improve day by day.• The army... became larger day by day.• Emily is an industrial engineer by day and a punk rock bass guitarist by night.• Never by night and never by day will I forget you.• It must have been most pleasant by day.• Nightly dreams and thoughts by day, Are aye with him that's far away.• For thousands of years people calculated time by days and nights and the changing seasons.• He must patrol by night and walk by day.• He slept more than any other president, whether by day or by night.a long day• When I first heard this story, I was standing with a group of geophysicists after a long day of conference talks.• A middle-aged husband comes home after a long day at the office.• Carl had got home after a long day.• It had been a long day.• With that gesture began a long day of live music by every Stax artist to raise money for the Watts Summer Festival.• And I think Claire's had a long day.working day• A massive 3,324, working days were lost because of depressive illnesses between and in Northern Ireland alone.• This downward trend was so significant during this period that the average working day fell by around 1 hour.• In many areas the Hearing is held on the first working day after the removal of the child.• They proceed not to turn up on Monday, the next working day.• Additional reports e.g. showing approved entries and responsible lexicographer, will be produced within one working day when required.• Since the scheme was introduced, only motorists with special passes are allowed to use Ipswich Street during the working day.• As if to signal that the working day was about to begin, the telephone rang.early days• He also has a collection of Rentokil news letters going back to his early days which made for fascinating reading after dinner.• It should be recognised that we are still in the early days of case-mix accounting.• That was in the early days of the specialty foods market.• In the early days we ventured further afield than we do now, working in Suffolk, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Surrey.• Crashes were frequent enough in these earlier days.• Picture Dexter and Birdie Yager in those early days in the I960s when they risked their financial future on a brand-new business.• In those early days, that last week of June, it was merely a matter of raising enough money.these days• These days, even permanent jobs don't pay well.• Young people often are these days, I find.• For months now, I've been droning on and on about how all cars these days are getting too heavy.• Which raises the question: what exactly does the Democratic Party want to stand for these days?• Paul wandered around the house a lot these days.• The real problem with men these days, then, is that they simply are not around.• That kind of thing hardly seems necessary these days.• The royal train seems to be used only very rarely these days.• If you listen to a Bush speech these days you will not be waiting long before the governor begins talking about education.one day/some day• One day, I'd like to visit the Grand Canyon.• She always knew that some day he would leave her.• Perhaps one day we could all go to London together.Origin day Old English dæg 