peep of day
- noun
- Archaic
:
alba
- The birds began to sing at the peep of day, ushering in the morning.
Examples
-
She finished reading her novel before the peep of day broke over the city.
-
I love waking up at the peep of day.
-
At the peep of day, fishermen set out to sea to catch the best fish.
-
The birds start singing at the peep of day.
-
I love to watch the birds sing at the peep of day as the sun starts to rise.
-
The fisherman woke up early at the peep of day to catch the first fish.
-
They set off on their hike at the peep of day to enjoy the peacefulness of the morning.
Synonyms
386
1.0
The first light in the sky before the sun rises
34
1.7
The time in the morning when the sky starts to get bright
29
1.0
The time in the early morning when light first appears in the sky
19
3.2
Very early in the morning when the sun first appears
14
3.7
The time when the first light appears in the morning
8
3.0
Happening just before sunrise
4
1.0
The first light of morning when the sun rises
1
1.4
The early part of the morning when people begin daily activities
1
9.1
The time very early in the morning when light first appears
1
1.9
The first light of morning when the sun begins to appear
1
9.9
First light in the morning when the sky begins to get bright
A funny way to say a very early time before dawn
Antonyms
How Bright
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the very early morning / first light' is directly derivable from 'peep' (a small appearance or first showing) combined with 'day' (the time of daylight); the phrase literally denotes the day's first appearance. Although somewhat literary or old-fashioned, the composition follows a transparent logic that a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely understand.
Etymology
The phrase peep of day comes from the image of a small peep — like a baby bird's tiny sound or a tiny first light — just appearing at the start of the day. That's why it means 'the very early morning' or 'the first light of dawn'.