day
day
Pronunciation
/deɪ/.
/d/: Voiced alveolar plosive
/eɪ/: Diphthong (a glide from the "e" sound to the "ɪ" sound)
Word Form Variations
/deɪ/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in the single syllable:
/d/: Voiced alveolar plosive
/eɪ/: Diphthong (a glide from the "e" sound to the "ɪ" sound)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
1. A 24-hour period, typically reckoned from one midnight to the next, representing a complete rotation of the Earth on its axis.
Synonyms: 24 hours, twenty-four hours, solar day
Antonyms: (No direct antonym as it's a unit of time, but can be contrasted with longer periods like "week" or "night" for its specific duration.)
2. The period of light between sunrise and sunset, when the sun is visible in the sky.
Synonyms: daylight, daytime, sunlight
Antonyms: night, nighttime, darkness
3. A specific point in time or date, often associated with a particular event or occasion.
Synonyms: date, occasion, time, juncture
Antonyms: (No direct antonym, as it refers to a specific instance rather than a duration.)
4. A period of time spent working or engaged in a particular activity.
Synonyms: workday, shift, period, stretch
Antonyms: leisure, break, off-time
5. A particular era, period, or age.
Synonyms: era, age, time, epoch, period
Antonyms: (No direct antonym, as it refers to a historical or general period.)
6. The period of one's life or existence.
Synonyms: lifetime, existence, prime, heyday
Antonyms: death, demise, end
Adverb
1. By day; during the daytime. (Often used in phrases like "to work day and night")
Synonyms: daily, during the day, by daylight
Antonyms: nightly, by night
2. Each day; every day. (Similar to "daily" but emphasizing repetition over time.)
Synonyms: daily, every day, on a daily basis
Antonyms: never, rarely, seldom
Examples of Use
Books: "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." (George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four)
Newspapers: "Kenya to Host Crucial Climate Talks This Day in July" (The Standard)
Online Publications: "How a single day of rest can boost your productivity." (Forbes.com)
Entertainment Mediums (Film): "After all, tomorrow is another day!" (Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind)
Entertainment Platforms (Streaming Series): "This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!" (Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
General Public Discourse: "Have a great day!" (Common farewell greeting, ongoing)
General Public Discourse: "It's been a long day at the office." (Common expression of tiredness after work, ongoing)
General Public Discourse: "Back in my day, things were different." (Expression referring to a past era, ongoing)
10 Quotes Using Day
"After all, tomorrow is another day." (Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind)
"Every day is a new day." (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." (George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four)
"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
"Carpe diem – seize the day." (Horace, Odes)
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present day." (Bil Keane)
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:34)
"The darkest days in my life were those in which I did not know how to love." (Leo Tolstoy)
"This is the day that we remember. This is the day that we will never forget." (George W. Bush, September 11, 2001, in reference to the 9/11 attacks)
"And on the eighth day God created the Irish." (Popular Irish saying/joke, attributed to various sources)
Etymology
The word "day" has a very long history, tracing its roots back through the Germanic languages.
It comes from the Old English word "dæg." This "dæg" was already used to mean both the 24-hour period and the period of light between sunrise and sunset, much like we use "day" today.
Before Old English, we can go back even further to a reconstructed Proto-Germanic word, something like "*dagaz." This is believed to be the common ancestor of "day" in English, "Tag" in German, and "dag" in Dutch and Scandinavian languages.
The very first known use and meaning are somewhat speculative given how far back the word goes. However, it's generally understood that the concept of a "day" as a period of light was fundamental to early human experience, and the word likely emerged to describe this basic division of time. The idea of a full 24-hour cycle would have developed alongside the observation of celestial movements. So, from its earliest forms, "day" has been tied to the sun's cycle and the passage of time.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Day
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "day":
A bad day: A day when things go wrong.
A field day: An opportunity to do something enjoyable, especially criticizing someone or something.
A red-letter day: A day of special significance or celebration.
All in a day's work: Something difficult or unusual that is accepted as part of one's normal routine.
Back in the day: In the past, especially when referring to one's youth or an earlier era.
Call it a day: To decide to stop working on something.
Day after day: Continuously, without interruption.
Day in and day out: Regularly; constantly.
Every dog has its day: Everyone gets a chance to succeed or be fortunate at some point.
From day one: From the very beginning.
Have seen better days: To be old, worn out, or in poor condition.
Make my day: To make one's day particularly good or satisfying.
One of these days: At some unspecified point in the future.
Out of daylight: Running out of time (often literally, as in the period of light).
Save the day: To prevent a disaster or solve a difficult problem.
That'll be the day!: An expression of disbelief, implying something will never happen.
To this day: Up until the present time.
To day's end: By the end of the day.
Won the day: Achieved victory or success.
You made my day: You did something that made me very happy.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of day from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
