α. 1500s (as a modifier)–1700s darkman, 1600s darkeman (as a modifier).
β. 1500s darkemans, 1500s–1800s darkmans, 1700s–1800s darkman's.
† darkmansn.
Criminals' slang. Obsolete.
Night. Cf. lightmans n.As a modifier in quot. ?1536.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > day and night > night > [noun]
nighteOE
nightertalec1300
darkc1400
nightertimec1425
night-timec1430
night-tidea1500
night-season1530
darkmans?1536
Nox1567
moonshine1652
darkie?1738
the watches of the night1826
nite1928
bat-flight1934
?1536 R. Copland Hye Way to Spyttell Hous sig. Eiijv Toure the patryng coue in the darkman cace.
1567 T. Harman Caueat for Commen Cursetors (new ed.) sig. Giiiv I couched a hogeshed in a Skypper this darkemans.
1611 T. Middleton & T. Dekker Roaring Girle sig. K4 With all whom I'le tumble this next darkmans in the strommel.
1737 Bacchus & Venus Canting Songs xviii Each Darkmans I pass in an old shady Grove.
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering II. 97 Men were men then, and fought other in the open field, and there was nae milling in the darkmans.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.?1536- to make an attempt
- to make an end
- to make an entrance
- to make an epoch
- to make an errand
- to make an estate
- to make an estate of a thing to
- to make an estate of a thing to a person
- to make an estate of to
- to make an estate of to a person
- to make an esteem
- to make an example of
- to make an example out of
- to make an exception
- to make an exhibition of oneself
- to make an exhortation
- to make an experiment
- to make an honest shift
- to make an honest woman
- to make an honest woman of
- to make an honest woman of a woman
- to make an impact
- to make an impact on
- to make an issue of
- to make an issue out of