night-bird

A night-bird hoots softly from a tree branch.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Nocturnal bird: A "night-bird" is a bird that is active primarily during the night, such as an owl or a nightjar.
   • A person who stays up late: Informally, "night-bird" refers to a person who habitually stays awake and active during the night, often for social or recreational purposes.

Usage Examples

• Nocturnal bird:
  • The forest was silent except for the call of a night-bird. (A bird active at night, like an owl.)
• Person who stays up late:
  • She is a real night-bird, often reading until dawn. (A person who prefers nighttime activity.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a night-bird": to have a lifestyle or habit of being active at night.
  • After working late shifts for years, he became a night-bird. (He adapted to being awake at night.)
• "night-bird's song": the vocalization of a nocturnal bird.
  • We listened to the night-bird's song from the porch. (The sound made by a bird active at night.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nightbird (n): alternative spelling of "night-bird" (often used as one word).
  • The nightbird flew silently overhead. (A nocturnal bird.)
• Night-owl (n): a person who stays up late (similar in meaning to "night-bird" for people).
  • My roommate is a night-owl, while I go to bed early. (A person who is active at night.)

Synonyms

• Nocturnal bird: owl, nightjar, nighthawk.
• Person who stays up late: night owl, late riser (though "late riser" refers to waking late, not staying up late).

Phrasal Verbs

Related Idioms

• A night-bird in the hand: not a standard idiom; the concept is similar to "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," but not directly applicable.
• Night-bird's hour: a poetic phrase for the late night or early morning hours.
  • He worked best during the night-bird's hour, after midnight. (The time when nocturnal birds are active.)