at an unearthly hour

at an unearthly hour

Very early in the morning or very late at night. This phrase usually indicates the speaker's exasperation. Other determiners, such as "this" or "some," can be used in place of "an." Jenny is always calling me at an unearthly hour, usually for no reason. Only your sister would come to our house at an unearthly hour like this. Doesn't she realize that we were sleeping?
See also: hour, unearthly
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

at an unˌearthly/unˌgodly ˈhour

(informal) very early or very late, especially when this is annoying: The job involved getting up at some unearthly hour to catch the first train. I heard him come home at some ungodly hour again last night.
See also: hour, unearthly, ungodly
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • at an unearthly/ungodly hour
  • at an ungodly hour
  • unearthly
  • ungodly
  • throw a game
References in classic literature
We prowled around for sheer delight over being there at an unearthly hour when everybody supposed we were sound asleep in our beds.
The Golden Road
The old man turned me out at an unearthly hour this morning, and in Sheringham all the shops were closed.
The Vanished Messenger
"You haven't come to the other side of the world to confine yourselves to the kitchen," they said, as they awakened us at an unearthly hour even by local standards (making it sometime in the middle of the night for us, who were jet-lagged and behind them by five-seven hours).
Beaches, bays and beautiful names
Now we get water in our taps at an unearthly hour -- from 3 to 6 in the morning.
Midsummer water crisis grips city
Once again, the welcome was warm and friendly - and, despite our protestations, because of our very early start, Paul insisted on getting up at an unearthly hour to feed us in the morning.
IIrelland a home ffrom ho me! Paddy Shennan takes a ferry across the Irish Sea for a relaxing touring holiday Hassle-free, smooth and relaxing: that's Ireland
Nigh nine months later, reality kicked in At an unearthly hour our new lives begin, Feeding and nursing, and pacing the floor, Changing and bathing and changing once more.
POET'S CORNER
In addition, one would imagine the majority of racing professionals (owners, trainers, stable staff, jockeys, etc) would welcome the prospect of an earlier end to the working day, given that many of the industry's hard-working individuals are up at an unearthly hour on a daily basis also.
Letter: Why floodlit fixtures should end earlier
There's the stress of packing your suitcase, the horror of leaving your home at an unearthly hour and the trauma of getting, man- (or woman) handled at airport security.
We love telly: WE LOVE FACTUAL - HOLIDAY HORRORS UNPACKAGED: TONIGHT ITV1, 8pm
If anything, it is most off-putting, to be disturbed at the weekend at an unearthly hour!
A rude awakening
It is only when you check that you learn these are police-chartered helicopters that seem to find the time to wake up hard-working citizens at an unearthly hour and cause much distress to many persons, including the elderly, who may be on their own.
Is that a UFO up there? No it's just the police helicopter
"This is an opportunity for these people to come and hand themselves in, before they get a knock at the door at an unearthly hour in the morning.
Officers in warning to bus thugs; CCTV FOOTAGE: Police believe film will help them identify gang of five young yobs
I didn't have to drag myself out of bed at an unearthly hour and drive into the office in the dark while feeling lousy.
Just no excuse, Brian
And knowing that he needed to get the upper hand in any way possible, the Trinidad and Tobago keeper was really tempted to call his old mate at an unearthly hour.
FOOTBALL: Doriva: It's time Boro Yak shaken; WEST HAM V MIDDLESBRO (K.O. 3 pm)
The next morning after the lady angler landed her three, I got up at an unearthly hour and headed down to the river.
Angling: CATCH THE DAWN .. AND A SALMON
What is even harder for the farmer is that he only gets 8p per pint for his milk.For that he has to get up at an unearthly hour,milk the cows,feed the cows,bed the cows,do the fieldwork,maintainhis machinery,clean out the slurry, do the fencing, tend topoorly cows,get his cows back in calf, milk them again, tobe repeated seven days a week.
Letter: Signs of trouble