a-night, adv., prop. phr. arch.
(əˈnaɪt)
[OE. on niht, reduced by common change of proclitic on to a: already in Chaucer MSS. it interchanges with the modern at night.]
By night, at night.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John vii. 50 Nichodemus..se þe com to him on nyht. a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 24 Murie hi uerden þer aniȝt. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 42 To make folke to dreme a-nyght [v.r. on nyght]. c 1386 ― Man of Law's T. 612 They moste take in pacience a-night [v.r. at nyght, at nyȝt, a nyht] Such maner necessaries. c 1440 Partonope 3113 They mete neuer but a nyght. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. iv. 49, I..bid him take that for comming a night to Iane Smile. 1830 Tennyson Arab. Nts. ii, Anight my shallop..clove The citron-shadows in the blue. |