nights, adv. Now colloq. and U.S.
(naɪts)
[OE. nihtes = OFris. nachtes, -is, OS. nahtes (MDu. nachtes, nachts, Du. 's nachts), OHG. nahtes (G. nachts), an irreg. genitive form on the analogy of dæᵹes, dages, etc. (see day n. 1 b), but in later use prob. apprehended as a plural.]
During the night, by night, at night.
| Beowulf 422 Ic..on yðum sloᵹ niceras nihtes. a 900 Cynewulf Crist 938 Mona þæt sylfe, þe ær moncynne nihtes lyhte, niþer ᵹehreoseð. c 1000 Boeth. Metr. xiii. 59 Merecondel scyfð on ofdæle, uncuðne weᵹ nihtes ᵹeneðeð. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1101 Se biscop Rannulf..ut of þam ture on Lunden nihtes oðbærst. a 1250 Owl & Night. 591 Wan ich flo niȝtes after muse. a 1272 Luue Ron 60 in O.E. Misc. 95 If he dret þat me him stele, Þenne doþ him pyne nyhtes wake. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints Prol. 102 Chosine knychttis seruand hyme bath day & nychtis. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 6443 Ȝe scholde sitte and wake nygthes, As hauke on perche that sittes in mewe. 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. E ij, Aboue all nights, nights, dayes, each hower remember, To solemnize the twenteth of Nouember. |
| 1786 Exchange Advertiser (Boston) 19 Oct. (Th.), Not a flute that has a hole in it, but that is employed very successfully nights. 1861 O. W. Norton Army Lett. (1903) 29 To-morrow we do guard duty. It is tiresome work. No sleep nights. 1866 Lowell Biglow P. Ser. ii. Introd., So thievish they hev to take in their stone walls nights. 1899 F. J. Mather Chaucer's Prol. p. vii, Chaucer..returning nights to his home in chambers over Aldgate. 1938 T. Wilder Our Town 34 From my window up there I can just see your head nights when you're doing your homework over in your room. 1964 Panorama (Brisbane) Sept. 7/1, I don't know who writes the lyrics for their songs, but professionals can still sleep nights. 1970 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 25 Sept. 12/1 (Advt.), She wanted a place that would stay up nights to serve her. |