first night

noun

The first public performance of a play or other show, normally assumed to be held in the evening.

“The first night was a disaster, and the cast were mostly in tears.”

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Meanings

nounfirst night (plural first nights)

plural first nights

  1. The first public performance of a play or other show, normally assumed to be held in the evening.

    The first night was a disaster, and the cast were mostly in tears.

    1 more example

    First nights are not what they were, even within the memory of playgoers who would be startled to hear anyone else refer to them as "elderly."

    1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC
  2. The first night after marriage.

    […] the first night seems to be playing a strong role in the development of the pioneer for the relationship.

    2021 September 23, Poulomi Sarkar, “Here’s How You Can Make Your First Night Special!!!”, in Woman's era, archived from the original on 26 Sep 2021
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see first, night.
Cite this entry
APA

first night. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20night

MLA

“first night.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20night. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “first night,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20night.

Source: first night on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.