time - 'Tonight' and 'this evening'


If I ask



Are you available tonight for a drink?



does tonight refer to this evening and/or this night?


If not, what would be considered the beginning of the night and the end of the evening? Do they overlap?



Answer



I would say that this really depends on the context and common understanding between speaker and hearer.



Are you available for a drink tonight?



I would understand tonight as starting after work (if asked by a coworker) and lasting through something reasonable, like midnight nowadays. If the person asked works in a bar at night, it might mean "right now", no matter whether it is 6pm or 5am.


Asking



Where will you sleep tonight?



Tonight will denote the normal sleeping period.


Best is to further specify if necessary.


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