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Halloween

noun

  1. evening of the 31st of October
L587225 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˌha.ləˈwiːn/ / /ˌha.ləʊˈiːn/ / /ˌhæ.ləˈwiːn/

name

Etymology: From a Scots shortening of Allhalloweven, from Allhallowmas (the obsolete earlier name of All Saints' Day) + even (an archaic or poetic variant of eve; see also een). For the American pronunciation with /ɑ/, compare the Southern English traditional dialect pronunciations fallow /ˈfɒ.lə/ and tallow /ˈtɒ.lə/.

  1. The eve of All Hallows' Day; October 31st; celebrated (mostly in English-speaking countries) by children going door-to-door in costume and soliciting candy with menaces.

    They all get dressed up in scary costumes at Halloween.

    1987, Kai Hansen, "Halloween", Helloween, Keeper Of The Seven Keys: Part 1. Black is the night full of fright / You'll be missing the day / What will be here very soon / Changing your way / A knock at your door / It is real or is it a dream / On trembling legs you open the door / And you scream... on Halloween