day

Everyday

1. A day is the time from one midnight to the next; a day has 24 hours and seven days make a week. tree →
2. Day is the light part of the day, when it is not night. tree →
3. A day can be a time or age: «in those days». tree →
4. A day can mean a special day: «sports day», «a day off». tree →
5. (casual) «Day» is used in greetings: «G'day» (Australia), «have a nice day»; «call it a day» means stop working; «make my day» means make me very happy. tree →
6. (casual) «Not my day» means everything goes wrong; «that'll be the day» means that will never happen. tree →
7. (formal) Exams say «per diem», «daily», «per day», «a period of N days» and «on a daily basis». tree →

In the lessons

one day of the calendar; a unit of time: «N every day for D days» is N × D; from day S to day E, both days count; the Earth turns once in a day; phrases: «every day», «a day», «per day», «all day», «one day», «day and night», «these days», «day off»; in casual talk «g'day», «call it a day», «back in the day», «not my day»; in rough talk «not my bloody day, dropped 3 eggs»; in the exam voice «on a daily basis», «per diem», «over a period of 6 days»

Examples

• Anna reads 3 pages every day. tree →
• Zoe saves 4 cents a day for 6 days. tree →
• A fair runs from day 3 to day 9. tree →
• A day has 24 hours. tree →
• A week has 7 days. tree →
• We spent the whole day at the beach. tree →
• Owls sleep in the day and hunt at night. tree →
• G'day mate, how many snags for the barbie? tree →
• Not my bloody day, dropped 3 eggs and missed the bus. tree →
• Let's call it a day, we've done 20 sums. tree →
• A sum of 4 cents is deposited on a daily basis over a period of 6 days. Compute the aggregate saved. tree →
• Back in the day, Grandpa walked 5 kilometres to school. tree →
• She saw nought the first day. tree →

Note

A day is 24 hours. A week is 7 days. «N every day for D days» is N × D. From day S to day E, both days count: E − S + 1. Trap: «a day» in «4 cents a day» means each day. «per diem», «daily» and «on a daily basis» in an exam mean each day. «back in the day» means long ago, not one day.

In Jewish tradition

A day counts from evening to morning, as in "there was evening and there was morning," and can mean a period or a time.

Interpretation. The Jewish day begins at nightfall, which is why Shabbat starts on Friday evening. The seventh day is holy, and the "days" of creation are read in many ways.

Examples

• So the people rested on the seventh day. (Torah EXO.16.30, JPS 1917) tree →
• Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Torah EXO.20.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• This day ye go forth in the month Abib. (Torah EXO.13.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• Thus shalt thou do six days. (Prophets JOS.6.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• Is it not wheat harvest to-day? (Prophets 1SA.12.17, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the days were not expired; (Prophets 1SA.18.26, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

A day is 24 hours. A week is 7 days. «N every day for D days» is N × D. From day S to day E, both days count: E − S + 1. Trap: «a day» in «4 cents a day» means each day. «per diem», «daily» and «on a daily basis» in an exam mean each day. «back in the day» means long ago, not one day.