night owl

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   An owl (order Strigiformes) that is nocturnal.

   • Their Weapons like to Lightning, came and went: / Our Souldiers like the Night-Owles lazie flight, / Or like a lazie Threſher with a Flaile, / Fell gently downe, as if they ſtrucke their Friends.
   • For nightowles ſhreeke where mounting larkes ſhould ſing.
   • A night owl beat her pinions 'gainſt my head, / 'Till o' the ground I fell, wi' fright near dead!
2. 2

   One who goes to bed late, or stays up late at night or in the early hours of the morning.

   • "You are one night owl, Monsieur Reetchie," he said. / "And you seem to prefer the small hours for your visits, Monsieur de St. Gré," I could not refrain from replying.
   • It has been said the perfect transportation salesman must be: "A man of vision and ambition; an after dinner speaker; before and after dinner goodfellow; he must work all day; be a night owl and still appear fresh the next day; [..."]
3. 3

   A musical instrument which imitates an owl's hoot, consisting of a receptacle partly…

   A musical instrument which imitates an owl's hoot, consisting of a receptacle partly filled with water and a mouthpiece that is blown into.

   • The night-owl,—a mug-shaped instrument, with an orifice in its side, through which a whistle is inserted,—when used, is partly filled with water, to give the tremulous owl-hoot sound.

The neighborhood