During
'djʊərɪŋ
Definitions
Throughout the course of (a period).
'djʊərɪŋ
Throughout the course of; at some point in the time of
We'll be closed during the holiday.
💡 Simply: Like saying something happened 'while' something else was happening. Like, 'I ate my lunch *during* the movie,' meaning you were eating at the same time the movie was playing.
👶 For kids: It means while something is happening. Like, "I played during the party!"
More Examples
She slept during the flight.
The museum is open during the week.
How It's Used
"I enjoyed the movie during the summer."
"The contract is valid during the term specified."
Idioms & expressions
during the day
Throughout the hours of daylight.
"I prefer to work during the day and relax in the evening."
during the night
Throughout the hours of darkness.
"The hospital staff works around the clock, even during the night."
From Middle English *durende*, from Old English *durh* ('through, during') and *tīma* ('time'), meaning 'through the time of'.
Historically, 'during' has been used in similar ways as it is today, maintaining its function to indicate temporal relationships.
Memory tip
Think of a timeline: 'during' marks a specific section.
Word Origin
"through the time of"