small hours

Related to small hours: wee small hours

the small hours (of the night/morning)

The very early hours after midnight. I was studying for the exam until the small hours of the morning, and now I can barely keep my eyes open! We all danced until the small hours of the night. I love the small hours, when few are awake and one can be alone with one's thoughts.
See also: hour, night, small
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

small hours

Also, wee hours. The hours following midnight, as in I stayed up working through the small hours, or The parents didn't come home until the wee hours. The adjectives small and wee both refer to the low numbers of those hours (one o'clock, two o'clock, etc.). [c. 1830]
See also: hour, small
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

the ˈsmall/ˈearly hours

(also the wee (small) ˈhours) the period of time very early in the morning, soon after midnight: He died in the early hours of Saturday morning. We stayed up talking into the small hours.
See also: early, hour, small
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • the small hours
  • the small hours (of the night/morning)
  • the wee hours (of the night/morning)
  • wee hours
  • the wee small hours (of the night/morning)
  • the small/early hours
  • the early hours (of the night/morning)
  • oil it
  • on end
  • get off light
References in periodicals archive
The club, which in May was licensed to serve alcohol well into the small hours, has 21 days to close or to appeal against the council decision.
Bar licence revoked after 3am violence; Six attacks and four thefts reported
Coalition MPs have turned to Twitter to express their frustration at Labour for using delaying tactics to keep the House of Commons sitting into the small hours.
MPs tweet annoyance at 4am debate
Detective Inspector Peter Thomas, of Rumney CID, said: "She wasn't hurt or confronted, but someone has been in her house while she was alone and extremely vulnerable in the small hours of the morning.
OAP burgled as she slept
An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 4.1 hit the Kinki region in the small hours of Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
M4.1 quake hits Kinki region
With more than 329 parties stretched over six nights, there was something for everyone until the wee small hours in the Italian city.
MILAN ROUGED
Following the cabaret, guests enjoyed dancing into the small hours.
Carrot entertains BJGF. (Newsdesk)
She didn't tell her mother about staggering onto stage after throwing up half a bottle of brandy, nor about hitchhiking home in the small hours during a visit to England where she spent her evenings in the night clubs.
A life I never dreamt of theatrical success didn't make Vendela Tyndale-Biscoe happy. Nor did drugs and partying. (Turning Point)
I have banged on their tin doors in the small hours of the morning.
"I won't serve in your army"
So far, eight classics have hit the shelves, including Capitol's Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, Come Dance with Me!, In the Wee Small Hours, Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!, and Reprise's Sinatra at the Sands.
Listen up
Kivilagos kivirradtig (1924; "Until the Small Hours of Morning") and Rokonok (1930; "Relatives") deal with the decadent nobility.
Moricz, Zsigmond
Spectators are prepared to stand into the small hours to see the final round of each class, where six couples battle it out for that coveted first place.
Blackpool Dance Festival
Two sample moments of tribute: "in the evening Patty Duke was here via Mahler #3." And "Dear Miss Sontag--After wanderlusting around in 'Interpretation' into the small hours, especially in the Leiris section, I felt that you were the one to have the enclosed, hoping not to presume on your recherche shelves." It makes sense that Cornell appreciated Michel Leiris, for both were engaged in a systematic, archaeological plumbing of obsession, disobeying civilization's punitive command, "Grow up!" Cornell didn't explain or demystify his preoccupations; he pursued them as a spiritual practice.
Joseph Cornell's Theater of the Mind: Selected Diaries, Letters and Files
LAHORE -- While the Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) has made arrangements to give a warm welcome to its three wrestlers for winning medals in the Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia, when they will arrive at Lahore airport in the small hours of Wednesday, the Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) has also announced a grand reception in the honor of all five medal winners at its offices here on April 20.
PWF, POA to give warm welcome to players
Wee Small Hours 1.25 Navan 1pt win County Meath trainer Dermot McLoughlin, who has his team in good order at the moment, has a fighting chance of winning the 24-runner John Lynch Carpets Handicap Hurdle with Wee Small Hours.
Wee Small Hours to score for in-form McLoughlin
LAHORE -- At least two dacoits were killed during an alleged police encounter in Lahore area of Chuhang in Friday's small hours.
Two dacoits killed in alleged Lahore police encounter