four-o'clock

A gardener waters a four-o'clock in the afternoon sun.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of flowering plant: "four-o'clock" refers to any plant of the genus Mirabilis, especially Mirabilis jalapa, known for its colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers that typically open in the late afternoon (around four o'clock) and close by morning.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She planted a row of four-o'clocks along the garden path. (She cultivated a flowering plant that blooms in the late afternoon.)
  • The four-o'clock's petals unfurled as the sun began to set. (The plant's flowers opened as evening approached.)

Advanced Usage

• "four-o'clock family": an informal term for the plant family Nyctaginaceae, which includes the four-o'clock genus.
  • Botanists classify the four-o'clock in the Nyctaginaceae family. (The four-o'clock belongs to a group of plants with similar characteristics.)

Variants and Related Words

• Four-o'clock vine (n): a climbing variety of the plant.
  • The four-o'clock vine covered the trellis with fragrant flowers. (A climbing form of the plant grew on the support structure.)

Synonyms

• Marvel of Peru: another common name for .
• Beauty-of-the-night: a poetic name for the same plant, referring to its evening blooming habit.

Related Idioms

• "As reliable as a four-o'clock": a rare idiom meaning something that happens predictably at a specific time.
  • His daily walk was as reliable as a four-o'clock. (His routine was consistently timed.)