It's not so specific. Usually refers to a time starting after midnight... when it ends is less precise. I think normally the use is referring to the fact that the activity carried into that early part of the day, and when it ended is less important. It literally means the little hours (small numbers 1,2,3...) 1. "late" and "very late" work. Though it's not really the same. They doesn't always mean until after midnight. Wee hours always means after midnight. So it might be more accurate to understand it as meaning "until early the next morning"... 3. It is generally plural. Hope that helps.

"Wee" is a Scottish word and it means small. When you say, "we partied into the wee hours of the morning", it means "we partied into the small hours of the morning". It depends on the context but 1-3am are "wee hours" of the morning. 4-6am are also wee hours. All it really means is that you were doing something till very late!! 5am would be more likely, however, if someone said: "I woke up in the wee hours of the morning." As I say, it's all context... however people aren't likely to wake up before 5am unless they have a flight etc. As for your sentences: 1.She plans on entertaining him into the wee hours. =She's gonna spend time with him (doing stuff) until very late. "She's going to spend time entertaining him until it's very late". Correct ... of course don't use "gonna" in writing unless it's informal. 2. The dance went on into the wee hours =The dance went on til late "The dance went on till late". Yes. 3. Is it always plural? Do you every say "the wee hour"? Generally you would always see this in plural. But it could be in the singular. eg. Mr. X: "We were dancing until the wee hours!" Mr Y: "When did you finish?" Mr. X: "3am!" My. Y: "Wow! That is a wee hour!" Bear in mind that "wee" is just a word for "small" in Scotland. Generally speaking, you'd see wee used in the singular a lot. For instance, "she's a wee lass" = "she's a small girl". Or "It's a lovely wee house" = "It's a lovely little house". I hope this helps. ---- "Staying through the wee hours" <== This is right "Staying in the wee hours" <== This can be right but would be less common. I will give you an example using the same preposition but a different verb. Eg. Mr X: "When did she leave?" Mr Y: "She left in the wee hours of the morning". You could use the past continuous as well: Mr Y: "She was leaving in the wee hours of the morning. It took her hours to finally pack her luggage." You can also say "From/during the wee hours of the morning".

Well, Sir Hughski has excellently explained "the wee hours" Thanks sir. But in British vulgar, it's also an informal term for urination. Further, as a verb it means "eliminate urine". Thanks Abbas

The expression 'wee small hours' is more common than 'wee hours'. It is tautological because wee means small. It is often said in England and to say it is rare in American I doubt - see for example the words to a Frank Sinatra song: "In the wee small hours of the morning While the whole wide world is fast asleep You lie awake and think about the girl"

4. Staying up to the wee hours 5. staying till the wee hours 6.staying trough the wee hours 7.staying in the wee hours(this sounds wrong though) 8.by the wee hours 9. Can you think of any other prepositions that go with "the wee hours"? Thank you!