🕰️ Witching hour
The dead of night when supernatural forces are said to be most active; extended idiomatically to describe a critical, high-volatility window of time right before a major deadline or market close where turbulent events unfold.
💬 Context & Examples
Originating in folklore as midnight or 3:00 a.m. when witches and ghosts held power, this phrase is now standard in high-stakes negotiations, parenting, and financial markets (e.g., "triple witching hour" in equities/options trading).
- "Trading floors turned chaotic during the Friday witching hour as derivative contracts expired simultaneously."
- "Negotiators worked straight through the witching hour to iron out a tentative labor agreement before the dawn strike deadline."
🧠 Pattern Challenge
Why is a period of market volatility or intense late-night negotiations metaphorically mapped to the "witching hour"?
Because normal orderly rules and steady predictable behavior give way to unseen, volatile pressures and heightened unpredictability—just like the supernatural upheaval associated with the dead of night.