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3. on the eve of

on the eve of

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on the eve of something

Fig. just before something, possibly the evening before something. John decided to leave school on the eve of his graduation. The team held a party on the eve of the tournament.

See also: of, on

on the eve of

Just prior to, as in On the eve of the conference the main speaker backed out. This expression uses eve, literally "the night before," more loosely. [Late 1700s]

See also: of, on