wee hours

the wee hours (of the night/morning)

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

wee hours

The early hours of the morning right after midnight: "post-disco electronic rhythms that propel clubgoers into the wee hours" (Jon Pareles).
See also: hour, wee
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • the wee hours (of the night/morning)
  • the wee small hours (of the night/morning)
  • the small hours
  • the small hours (of the night/morning)
  • small hours
  • the early hours (of the night/morning)
  • the small/early hours
  • oil it
  • on end
  • get off light
References in periodicals archive
Official sources told media that Indian police and troops raided two houses at Cherawani near Charar-e-Sharief in Budgam in the wee hours, today.
To get a detailed picture of what happens during the wee hours, Virend K.
Summary: Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Aug 26 (ANI): A major fire broke out at a menthol warehouse in Kasna area of Greater Noida in the wee hours of Monday.
ISLAMABAD -- As many as eight people were burnt to death after fire erupted in a passenger van on GT Road in Jhelum in wee hours of Monday.
BAHAWALNAGAR -- Five members of a family suffered serious burns at the hands of unidentified attackers who threw acid on them when they were asleep in their house in a locality of Chishtian in the wee hours of Tuesday.
KARACHI -- A man was injured after he was hit by a train in Landhi railway track of the city in the wee hours of Thursday.
At least five people lost their lives in the wee hours today when fire engulfed a bakery located near Lahore's Barkat Market, Waqt News reported.
A woman was killed in a road mishap in the Korangi area of the metropolis in the wee hours of Friday.According to rescue sources, a fast-moving vehicle hit a 45-year-old woman near Al-Razi Printing Press.
The Osbournes seems to oscillate between voyeuristic footage of Ozzy's out-of-control offspring partying until the wee hours, and Ozzy's periodic attempts to deal with Mrs.
Laura show--which affiliates have dumped into the wee hours or dropped outright--Keenan says, "It's the only talk show on the air that's been declared safe to appear on by the witness protection program."
Many a toddler has climbed into bed with mommy and daddy after waking from a nightmare or thunderstorm in the wee hours of the morning.
Summary: Bhiwandi (Maharashtra) [India], Aug 24 (ANI): A four-storey building collapsed in Shanti Nagar area of Bhiwandi city near Mumbai in the wee hours of Saturday.
ISLAMABAD -- A fire erupted in the Protocol Section of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in the wee hours of Sunday, however no damage was reported.
ISLAMABAD -- Two people were killed on wee hours of Tuesday after a speeding car overturned on Hyderabad Superhighway.
KARACHI -- A man was killed when he fell down from the rooftop of a building in Steel town area of the city in the wee hours of Monday.