lights-out
lights-out — noun
1. the set bedtime in a boarding school, camp, barracks, or similar place, when eve
the set bedtime in a boarding school, camp, barracks, or similar place, when everyone must stop using the lights and go to bed
At lights-out, Lucía closed her novel and climbed into the top bunk.
at lights-out — fixed bedtime in shared sleeping quarters
The campers had ten minutes to wash up before lights-out.
before lights-out — time limit before the nightly cutoff
After lights-out, nobody in the hostel was allowed to use a phone.
The nurse checked each room at lights-out to make sure the children were quiet.
文法句型
at lights-out
before/after lights-out
用法筆記
Usually refers to shared places with fixed rules, such as boarding schools, camps, barracks, or hospital wards. In ordinary home life, bedtime is usually the more natural word.
常見錯誤
2. an order or warning, often in the military, that tells everyone to put the light
an order or warning, often in the military, that tells everyone to put the lights out immediately
When the sergeant shouted 'Lights out!', Selim switched off the barracks lamp.
Lights out! — spoken order to turn off the lights
The bugle sounded the lights-out signal across the dark camp.
lights-out signal — formal signal giving the order
One sharp whistle gave the crew their lights-out command for the night.
After the lights-out call, every tent went dark within a minute.
文法句型
lights-out signal
lights-out command
lights-out call
用法筆記
Most often used in military or highly regulated settings. It can name the spoken order itself or the whistle, bugle, or other signal that delivers the order.