NIGHTFALL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does nightfall mean? 

• NIGHTFALL (noun)
  The noun NIGHTFALL has 1 sense:

1. the time of day immediately following sunset

  Familiarity information: NIGHTFALL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NIGHTFALL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The time of day immediately following sunset

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

crepuscle; crepuscule; dusk; evenfall; fall; gloam; gloaming; nightfall; twilight

Context example:

they finished before the fall of night

Hypernyms ("nightfall" is a kind of...):

hour; time of day (clock time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nightfall"):

night (a shortening of nightfall)

Holonyms ("nightfall" is a part of...):

eve; even; evening; eventide (the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall))

 Context examples 

The sails did require some cutting, and the canvas, heavy with water, tried my strength severely; but I succeeded before nightfall in getting it all spread out on the beach to dry.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Thus Traddles and I found them at nightfall, assembled on the wooden steps, at that time known as Hungerford Stairs, watching the departure of a boat with some of their property on board.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Finding my apprehensions unfounded, however, and calmed by the deep silence that reigned as evening declined at nightfall, I took confidence.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Because we shall have nightfall to cover us when we draw off, so that we may make our way back through the mountains.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

From early dawn until nightfall he was running, jumping, striking a bladder which swung upon a bar, or sparring with his formidable trainer.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Yet ever are we hitting the trail in the dark before daylight, and still on the trail does the dark after nightfall find us.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But the light airs which had begun blowing from the south-east and south had hauled round after nightfall into the south-west.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It was nearly nightfall, and we had eaten nothing since early morning, so that we spent some time over our meal.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We left in pretty good time, and came after nightfall to Klausenburgh.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The man is by trade a conjurer and performer, going round the canteens after nightfall, and giving a little entertainment at each.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)