eve
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the day or evening before a religious or public holiday.
the day or evening immediately preceding a festival or holiday.
Simple“The family always gathers for a big dinner on Christmas Eve.”
In context“The city was unusually quiet on the eve of the festival, as most residents had already retreated to their homes for private celebrations.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the period of time just before something important is about to happen.
the period immediately preceding a significant event or development; often used figuratively to suggest a state of anticipation.
Simple“On the eve of the election, the candidates made their final speeches.”
In context“The country stood on the eve of a technological revolution that would fundamentally alter its economic landscape over the coming decade.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a poetic or old-fashioned word for evening.
the latter part of the day; used as a poetic or archaic synonym for evening.
Simple“The birds began to sing their final songs as the summer eve turned to night.”
In context“The poet describes the dewy eve with a sense of melancholy, capturing the stillness of the countryside as the light fades.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
in the Bible, the first woman and the wife of Adam.
the name of the first woman according to the creation myth in the Abrahamic religions.
Simple“The story of Adam and Eve is found in the first book of the Bible.”
In context“Renaissance painters frequently depicted Eve in the Garden of Eden, often focusing on the moment of the fall.”
From Middle English Eve, Eue, from Old English Ēua, Ēfe, from Latin Eva, from Ancient Greek Εὔα (Eúa), from Biblical Hebrew חַוָּה (ḥawwā).
A pun on eavesdropper.
Either a variant of Eaves or a matronymic from the given name.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.