overnight English · revision 7018

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1300}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əʊvə(ɹ)ˈnaɪt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[over]] and [[night]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ At night, during the night: about 1300 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) on the evening before, about 1374 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Through the night until morning is from 1535.^(OED 1989) As a noun, the preceding evening is from 1581, now chiefly American.^(OED 1989) The adjective, done or lasting for one night, is from the 19th century (1824 in MWU),^(MWU 2024) and the meaning ''in the course of a single night, suddenly'', as in ''an overnight success'', is from 1939.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A stop for one night is from 1959, and the verb, to stay the night, is from the late 19th century (1891 in MWU).^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – during the night.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1581 – the previous evening.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1824 – the adjective.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1939 – suddenly.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1959 – a one-night stay.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # During or through the night.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Very quickly or suddenly.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Lasting, happening or used for one night: ''an overnight bag''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Sudden: ''an overnight success''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stay for the night.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[overnighter]]

+ * [[overnight bag]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[over]]

+ * [[night]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}