In my prepositions chapter I found an example sentence
He sat watching far on into the night
I don't understand this bold part
2 Answers
On is not here a preposition, but an adverb, acting as an intensifier of "far".
There is a metaphor of "journeying" into the night, so "far on" means "a long way" (on the metaphorical journey into the night).
answered Jun 23, 2019 at 17:24
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He sat watching on into the night. I think this is also correct, isn't it?– user93387Commented Jun 24, 2019 at 10:49
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And I think into the night is a phrase meaning at a time that is very late at night– user93387Commented Jun 24, 2019 at 10:52
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@PiyushYadav: yes, you could say that, but I don't think it is very likely, because to my ear "on into the night" would be used with an activity that is either hard, or boring and unwelcome. "Into the night" on its own is not necessarily very late, but refers to an activity carrying on, not to a point of time. Commented Jun 24, 2019 at 11:43
I have just come across this phrase while reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.
"One man was so stirred by a talk on these principles that he sat far into the night discussing them with other members of the class. At three o’clock in the morning, the others went home. But he was so shaken by a realization of his own mistakes, so inspired by the vista of a new and richer world opening before him, that he was unable to sleep. He didn’t sleep that night or the next day or the next night – page 17
I think that "on" is redundant.
Below, you can find the definition provided by the Free Dictionary.
Far into the night
Extending until a late hour.
- The poker game went far into the night—that's why I got home so late, I swear.
- Why were you out so far into the night? And, better question, who were you out with?
- I used to be able to stay out far into the night and go to work the next day on three hours of sleep no problem, but it seems those days are over.
