evening
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.the time of day from the late afternoon until you go to sleep.
n.the period of time from the end of the afternoon until night or bedtime; a relational boundary often associated with the end of the working day.
Simple“We usually watch a movie together in the evening after dinner.”
In context“The city takes on a different character in the evening, as the office workers depart and the restaurants begin to fill with diners.”
UsageCommonly used with the preposition 'in' (in the evening) or 'on' when specifying a day (on Tuesday evening).
PitfallI will see you in the evening of Friday. I will see you on Friday evening.When specifying a day, use 'on [Day] evening' rather than 'in the evening of'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a social event or party that happens at night.
n.a social gathering or performance held during the evening hours.
Simple“The school is hosting a musical evening for parents next week.”
In context“It was a delightful evening of chamber music and poetry, held in the intimate setting of the university's private library.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.the final part of a person's life or a period of time.
n.the concluding period or latter stages of a lifespan, career, or historical era.
Simple“In the evening of his life, the old man moved to the coast.”
In context“The philosopher wrote his most influential works during the evening of his career, reflecting on decades of academic debate.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.the act of making something flat, smooth, or equal.
v.the present participle or gerund of 'even', referring to the process of making a surface level or making scores equal.
Simple“He spent the afternoon evening the soil in the garden before planting.”
In context“By scoring a goal in the final minute, the team succeeded in evening the score and forcing the match into extra time.”
UsageThis is the gerund form of the verb 'even'.
Usage evening sky
From Middle English evening, evenyng, from Old English ǣfnung, from ǣfnian < ǣfen (from Proto-West Germanic ābanþ, from Proto-Germanic ēbanþs), corresponding to even + -ing.
Inflected forms.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.