VESPERS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does vespers mean? 

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

1. the sixth of the seven canonical hours of the divine office; early evening; now often made a public service on Sundays

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

 Dictionary entry details 

• VESPERS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The sixth of the seven canonical hours of the divine office; early evening; now often made a public service on Sundays

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

evensong; vespers

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

canonical hour ((Roman Catholic Church) one of seven specified times for prayer)

 Context examples 

Yet the fishers and the peasants raised their heads and looked questions at each other, for the angelus had already gone and vespers was still far off.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A strange thrill it gave to the young squire to see the well-remembered white dress once more, and to hear the measured tolling of the deep vespers bell.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Item, that between nones and vespers on the feast of James the Less the said brother John was observed upon the Brockenhurst road, near the spot which is known as Hatchett's Pond in converse with a person of the other sex, being a maiden of the name of Mary Sowley, the daughter of the King's verderer.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But we must on, if we are to be there before the drawbridge rises at the vespers bugle; for it is likely that Sir Nigel, being so renowned a soldier, may keep hard discipline within the walls, and let no man enter after sundown.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Yet here, day after day for an hour after nones, and for an hour before vespers, he found himself in close communion with three maidens, all young, all fair, and all therefore doubly dangerous from the monkish standpoint.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)