| 释义 |
ˈnight-owl
[f. night n. + owl n.]
1. An owl which flies especially by night.
1593Shakes. Rich. II, iii. iii. 183 For night-Owls shrike, where monting Larks should sing. 1601― Twel. N. ii. iii. 60 Shall wee rowze the night-Owle in a Catch? 1691Vind. Top Knots i. in Bagford Ball. (1876) I. 123 Like silly Night Owls They prate, and they talk of their Top-Knots. 1743Pol. Ballads (1860) II. 301 The night-owl shrieks, the raven croaks. 1796Stedman Surinam II. xxv. 239 The strix or night-owl of Guiana regularly paid us his nocturnal visits. 1845Encycl. Metrop. XXV. 133/1 Night Owls..are of small size, but their habits are generally nocturnal, and their motions slow and noiseless.
2. A person who is up or out-of-doors late at night. orig. U.S.
1847W. T. Porter Quarter Race Kentucky 163 You no⁓souled, shad-bellied, squash-headed, old night-owl you! 1880‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abroad 270 He calculated to be off before night-owls like me turned out of bed. 1963M. McCarthy Group xii. 286 Her father, who was a night owl, was still awake. 1975Listener 11 Sept. 343/3 Jazz lovers have to be night owls..for only two programmes feature early evening jazz. |