evening | meaning of evening in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2024)

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisheveningeve‧ning1 /ˈiːvnɪŋ/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 [countable, uncountable]TMT the early part of the night between the end of the day and the time you go to bed I do most of my studying in the evening. I’m usually out on Friday evenings. What are you doing tomorrow evening? Peter left yesterday evening. I’ll see you this evening. It was early evening by the time we got home. We had just finished our evening meal when the doorbell rang. a broadcast on the evening news 2 PARTY[countable] a social event that takes place in the evening a musical evening an evening of music and poetry3 → good eveningCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: the early part of the night between the end of the day and the time you go to bedADJECTIVES/NOUN + evening Monday/Friday/Sunday etc eveningThey were due to leave on Sunday evening.tomorrow eveningWould you like to come over tomorrow evening?yesterday eveningThe robbery took place yesterday evening around nine o'clock.this evening (=today, in the evening)I'll phone you this evening.early evening (=the early part of the evening)We met for a drink in the early evening.late evening (=the later part of the evening )By the time we arrived, it was late evening.a spring/summer etc eveningOn a summer evening, the streets are full of people.a fine/warm/cool etc eveningIt was a fine evening, so we decide to eat outside.phrasesin the eveningWe met up again later in the evening.in the evenings (=every evening)I used to get so bored in the evenings, I just ended up watching TV.during the eveningLater, during the evening, fighting broke out near the palace.for the eveningHer parents had gone out for the evening.on Monday/Friday/Sunday etc evenings (=every Monday, Friday etc.)We usually meet up for a drink on Friday evenings.verbsspend an evening (=use an evening doing a particular thing)He spent many evenings alone in his room.evening + NOUNan evening mealI was just preparing the evening meal when the phone rang.the evening news (=the main radio or television news programme in the evening)There was a report about the fire on the evening news.an evening newspaper/paperI bought an evening newspaper to read on my way home.the evening rush hour (=the busy time in the evening when a lot of people are travelling home from work)There's always congestion on the motorways during the evening rush hour. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a social event that takes place in the eveningverbshave/hold an evening (=organize an event in the evening)The college is holding an open evening on May 6th for year 9 to 11 pupils.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + evening a social evening (=an event at which a group of people meet and spend time with each other)We should organize a social evening to welcome the new members of staff.a gala evening (=a special entertainment show)The gala evening featured a performance by the Kirov Ballet.an open evening (=an evening when an institution invites the public to come in and see the work that is done there)We went to the open evening to find out more about the course.a parents' evening (=an event at a school, at which parents meet and talk to their children's teachers)It was parents' evening at her son's school.evening + NOUNevening wear/dress (=formal clothes that people wear to social events in the evening)a shop specializing in glamorous evening wearan evening suit (=a formal suit that men wear to social events in the evening)He put on a black evening suit. GRAMMAR: Patterns with eveningin the evening• You do something in the evening: I watched TV in the evening. ✗Don’t say: I watched TV on the evening.on Monday/Tuesday etc evening• You do something on Monday/Tuesday etc evening: We had a barbecue on Sunday evening. ✗Don’t say: We had a barbecue in Sunday evening.on the evening of something• Something happens on the evening of a particular date or event: The accident happened on the evening of January 23.On the evening of my birthday we planned to go out for dinner.Examples from the Corpusevening• But his campaign headquarters is staffed by 20 volunteers daily, and another 20 volunteers work in phone banks each evening.• The river level in Hillsboro was 7 feet, right at flood stage, by early evening, Crocker said.• One evening I showed them an article I had written in a magazine.• He decides, literally, to play for time and makes a debut at Nero's banquet that evening.• Due to a shortage of whiskey that evening, the party broke up early.• However, on the evening of Wednesday 9 October another meeting was called, also in the City Hotel.• I have a class Thursday evening.in the evening• In the evening after milking she walked in the garden alone, thinking about it.• In the evening the flocks poured out of the ravines.• In the evenings there would be discussions at the home of Nicholas Vedder, a village leader and innkeeper.• Prayers were said again in the evening before school broke up.• In the meantime the meat continued in the evenings.• They considered the hotel a nice respite, a place to fill out papers, drink in the evening, relax.• Reports of an argument in a social club earlier in the evening.• Sky's highlight programme early in the evening was seen by 166,000.• We like to go for walks in the evening.eveningevening2 interjection informal HELLOused to greet someone when you meet them in the evening Evening, Joe. Everything all right?Origin evening Old English æfnung, from æfen “evening”