time of day

time of day (plural times of day)

1. The time according to the clock.
2. A loosely specified period of time, minutes or hours in duration, especially daytime, or point in time.

   "At what time of day and year are the winds strongest?" / "Winter mornings, I think, or maybe at day’s end."

   She would fold laundry at this time of day.

   I love that time of day. The light is magical.

3. The greeting appropriate to the time of day. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

   to give/bid someone the time of day ― to acknowledge, greet

5. (dialectal, informal, dated) era: time; day.

   that's how it was in that time of day [ = at that time, back in that day]

6. (archaic) The right thing; the ticket; that which is needed.
   • 1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “(please specify the chapter name)”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:

     ‘Never mind me, Sir,’ replied Sam. ‘Lend him a hand, Mr. Winkle, sir. Steady, sir, steady! That’s the time o’ day!’

• (time according to the clock): time, clock time, o'clock (mostly dialect)
• (loosely specified period of time): time
• (loosely specified point in time): time, hour
• (greetings appropriate to the time of day):

• time of night
• time of year

• time of the month

• know what's o'clock