witching hour
Supernatural activity time
The witching hour is the time of night when supernatural forces are supposedly most active—traditionally midnight or the small hours before dawn.
The phrase evokes an atmosphere of magic, mystery, or unease: We talked until the witching hour.
Parents also use it for the late afternoon period when young children become inexplicably fussy.
Performing magical incantations
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
ritual · hex · curse · potion · grimoire · coven · cauldron · broomstick
Noon or midnight
- moonlightReflected solar radiance, nocturnal
- nocturnalActive during darkness
- dead of nightDarkest part of evening
- darknessTotal absence of light
starless · nightfall · small hours · lunar · night sky · after hours · sleepless · insomnia
Disturbingly strange
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- creepyDisturbingly strange
- unsettlingCausing unease or discomfort
shadowy · macabre · chilling · haunting · dread · menacing · ominous · uncanny
Apparition of the dead
- specterGhostly threatening presence
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- poltergeistDisruptive supernatural entity
spirit · haunting · séance · wraith · banshee · demon · possession · otherworldly
spellcasting
Performing magical incantations
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- incantationSpoken magical formula
conjuring · ritual · hex · curse · potion · grimoire · coven · cauldron · broomstick · familiar
twelve o'clock
Noon or midnight
- moonlightReflected solar radiance, nocturnal
- nocturnalActive during darkness
- dead of nightDarkest part of evening
darkness · starless · nightfall · small hours · lunar · night sky · after hours · sleepless · insomnia · dreamtime
eerie
Disturbingly strange
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- creepyDisturbingly strange
unsettling · shadowy · macabre · chilling · haunting · dread · menacing · ominous · uncanny · gloomy
ghost
Apparition of the dead
- specterGhostly threatening presence
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
poltergeist · spirit · haunting · séance · wraith · banshee · demon · possession · otherworldly · paranormal
- Nightmoon, stars, moonlight, starlight, midnight
- nighttime thingsdarkness, moonlight, starlight, midnight, dusk
- time periodsday, year, month, week, minute
- late nightmidnight, night owl, night owls, insomnia, small hours
- midnighttwelve, dead of night, twelve o'clock
- nighttimemidnight, nightfall, night sky, nighttime, starry sky
witching hourholy hour
Catholic devotional practice
vespers · matins · lauds · sabbath · prayer time
witching hourbroad daylight
Fully visible daytime conditions
rush hour · business hours · working hours · office hours · happy hour
hour, witch, witchcraft, witches, bewitch, bewitched, witching, bewitching, witchery