dark1 adjectivedark2 noun
darkdark1 /dɑːk $ dɑːrk/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective (comparative darker, superlative darkest) 
WORD ORIGINdark1
Origin:
Old English deorcEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- ""What do you think of this blouse?'' ""It's a bit dark -- navy doesn't really suit you.''
- dark streets
- Anyone who disobeyed him ran the risk of getting beaten up in a dark alley, or even killed.
- His songs are dark, intelligent, and have a message for our time.
- I shrank back into the darkest corner of the room, and prayed that the soldiers would not see me.
- If you're going to have such dark walls I really think you should have a pale carpet.
- It was a dark night and he was afraid they might get lost if they went across the fields.
- It was a tragedy she had never imagined in her darkest thoughts.
- No, you can't play outside, it's too dark.
- She has beautiful dark brown eyes.
- the dark side of his personality
- Thick curtains covered the windows and the room was very dark.
- But the cracked panes reveal a dark Interior echoing with the cries of children.
- I looked at the guy: dark suit; about thirty-four; heavyset.
- Once again, you navigate dark passageways and hostile environments, killing everything that moves.
- So many dark windows where some one could be watching, and what if a car came along?
- The passageway to the cordoned-off Alsbach canal was wet and dark, and I was glad to have a flashlight.
- The snow drifted down, muffling the sounds of the party, the fireworks spluttering, falling damply into the dark night.
- Wings longer and narrower than Buzzard; tail longer, with similar dark band at tip.
- With her piercing sharp dark eyes, she presented a formidable impression.
THESAURUS
if a place is dark, there is little or no light: · The room was very dark.· No, you can’t play outside, it’s too dark.· It was a dark night with clouds covering the moon.
a dimly-lit building or place is fairly dark because the lights there are not very bright: · a dimly-lit restaurant· The church was dimly lit.
a dim light is fairly dark: · The camera can take good pictures even in dim lighting.· The evening sky grew dim.
a darkened room or building is darker than usual, especially because its lights have been turned off or the curtains have been drawn: · The prisoner lay in a darkened room.· The play starts with a darkened stage, and the sound of a woman singing softly.
a gloomy place or room is not at all bright or cheerful: · The bar was gloomy and smelled of stale cigar smoke.
dark and difficult to see through – used especially about water: · the murky waters of the lake· I could hardly see him in the murky light of the bar.
completely dark, so that nothing can be seen: · It was pitch-dark inside the shed.
a shady place is cooler and darker than the area around it, because the light of the sun cannot reach it: · It was nice and shady under the trees.· They found a shady spot for a picnic.
Longman Language Activatordark and with little or no light if a place is dark , there is little or no light: · Thick curtains covered the windows and the room was very dark.· I shrank back into the darkest corner of the room, and prayed that the soldiers would not see me.· No, you can't play outside, it's too dark.· It was a dark night and he was afraid they might get lost if they went across the fields.· Anyone who disobeyed him ran the risk of getting beaten up in a dark alley, or even killed.
completely dark, so that nothing can be seen: · It's pitch dark in there. I can't see a thing.· Inside the cellar it was pitch black.
a gloomy place or room is not at all bright or cheerful - use this especially in stories or written descriptions: · The bar was gloomy and smelled of stale cigar smoke.· I never liked visiting Dr Allen in his gloomy old study.
a room, street, or place that is dingy is fairly dark and usually dirty and in bad condition: · He ate lunch in a dingy little cafe next to the station.· The room was damp and dingy.
a darkened room or building is darker than usual, especially because its lights have been turned off or there are no lights: · The prisoner lay in a darkened room.· The production opens with a darkened stage, and the sound of a woman singing softly.
an area or building that is dimly- lit is fairly dark because the lights there are not very bright: · a long, dimly-lit corridor· Madame Gloriana led the way into a dimly lit back room.
an area, building, or room that is unlit is dark because there are no lights on there: · The path was unlit, and she needed a torch to find her way.· Behind the gasoline pumps the unlit garage stood like a huge black shadow.
to become dark when it gets dark , the sky becomes dark, usually because it is night: · It was getting dark, and we were worried that we wouldn't make it back to the village before nightfall. · When we were camping we used to go to sleep as soon as it got dark.· It's getting very dark out there -- there's going to be a storm.
if natural light fades , it gradually becomes weaker, because night is coming: · The light slowly began to fade and the trees became mere shadows.· I want to take some photographs before the light fades.
if the sky darkens , it gradually becomes darker than before, often because of bad weather: · In a few minutes the sky darkened and heavy rain began to fall.· We walked along the shore as the sun's last rays winked over the darkening sea, then headed for home.
: night/evening/darkness falls use this especially in stories to say that the night begins and it becomes dark: · We got back home just as night was falling.· Darkness fell on the town and the streetlights came on one by one.
if a room, building etc is plunged into darkness it is suddenly made dark because all the lights have been turned off: · Suddenly the light went out and the narrow stairs were plunged into darkness.· Lightning struck the power lines, plunging half the city into darkness.
darkness a place or time where there is no light: · A voice came from out of the darkness, but she couldn't see anyone.· As my eyes became used to the darkness I could make out a bed in the corner of the room.· The city was a violent place at that time, and it was not safe to walk the streets during the hours of darkness.in complete darkness: · Colour films must be developed in complete darkness.
when there is no light, especially in a room: · Children who are afraid of the dark need to be reassured.in the dark: · Why are you sitting there in the dark? Put the light on.
the place near a building, trees etc where it is darker than everywhere else because it is hidden from the sun's light: · Someone was hiding in the shadows at the end of the garden.· Two figures moved out of the shadows into the moonlit street.
dull, grey light like the light of the early morning or early evening - use this especially in stories and written descriptions: · He urged the mule forward through the half-light of the forest.in the half-light: · It was difficult to see who was standing there in the dim half-light of the hall.
when a place or room does not have enough light to see properly and is not at all cheerful - use this especially in stories and written descriptions: · I stepped through the doorway and peered into the gloom.· Jon could hear her voice but was unable to see anything in the gloom.
dark colours dark colours are closer to black than to white: · She has beautiful dark brown eyes.· If you're going to have such dark walls I really think you should have a pale carpet.· "What do you think of this blouse?'' "It's a bit dark -- navy doesn't really suit you.''
deep colours are strong, dark, and attractive: · I'm looking for a deeper shade of purple to paint the bedroom.deep blue/red/purple etc: · She looked into his eyes. They were deep blue.· In the lounge hung long curtains of luxurious deep red velvet.
dark and giving a pleasant feeling of comfort and warmth: · I admired the warm, rich colors of her Persian rugs.· The horse had a rich chestnut coat.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
Suddenly, the room went dark (=became dark). It gets dark (=night begins) about ten o'clock. It was still dark (=was night) when we boarded the train. It was pitch dark (=completely dark) in the attic. a dark blue dress a dark blue raincoat a dark green dress dark grey trousers Sam was tall, dark, and handsome.
Suddenly, the room went dark (=became dark). It gets dark (=night begins) about ten o'clock. It was still dark (=was night) when we boarded the train. It was pitch dark (=completely dark) in the attic. a dark blue dress British English (=keep something secret) Apparently, he has a son, but he’s kept that very dark.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Apparently, he has a son, but he’s kept that very dark. a dark blue raincoat· dark brown eyes
(also plain chocolate British English) (=without milk and with very little sugar)· strawberries dipped in dark chocolate
(=a black or grey cloud)· A dark cloud covered the sun.
(=more like black than white)· People tend to wear dark colours to work.
(=about subjects that are usually sad or serious, especially death)· The plot contains plenty of black comedy.
· Bright colours may suit you if your complexion is dark.
· a little boy with a tangle of blond curls
· His eyes are dark brown.
· His face suddenly became pale and I thought he was going to faint.
(=without anything to make you feel hopeful)· The theatre is losing money and its future looks bleak.
(=sunglasses)· She wore a scarf over her head and dark glasses.
a dark green dress dark grey trousers· He’s about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes.
Sam was tall, dark, and handsome. (=with blonde etc hair)· I saw my son’s blond head sticking out from the car window.
(=jokes, funny stories etc about the unpleasant parts of life)· The tone of the film is light but there are moments of black humour.
· He groped his way along the dark passage.
· She noticed two dark patches on the sleeve of his shirt.
· His face went purple with rage.
(=a secret about something bad)· I’m sure every family has a few dark secrets.
· She saw the dark shadow of a man in the doorway.
(=bad things relating to something)· The book is an examination of the dark side of genius.
· a girl with beautiful dark skin
· Fireworks burst up into the dark sky.
· There was a brown stain on the bedroom ceiling.
· He peered uneasily down the dark tunnel at the end of the platform.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Quite taken with them she was, so lovely to look at, him so fair, her so dark.· It was so dark he could barely make out the tree line on the distant shore.· It's so dark, yet it's so full of colours, and it's so cool.· Their skins are of so dark a brown color that they look almost black.· It was so dark that he could not see who was bending over him.· But it was eerie in the sense that the trees were so big and dense and it was so dark.· Out of the rock's foot grew a shadow so dark that it contained all colours.· I am so dark that a black cat looks illuminated to me.
· Perhaps it was too dark for Miriam to notice how Louise was taken aback by this remark, how she blushed.· I was privately grateful that it was too dark to make out the edge of the precipice.· It was too dark to see his expression, but Virginia had no doubt it would be the same mocking smile.· He told police it was too dark to tell whether the woman attempted to get out of the way.· I tried to peer in but it was getting too dark to see properly.· The softball game that starts in the morning and finishes when it is too dark to see the ball anymore.· It was, it was too dark.· It was too dark to see clearly, but I could hear him staggering.
· Wexford switched off the light and for a moment the room seemed very dark.· They go on very dark in the crease or like a thin film of colored smoke on the lids.· It was very dark tonight, some of the stars hidden by cloud, but it was very hot.· The outer half of the belt is dominated by the C-type asteroids, very dark materials that closely resemble carbonaceous meteorites.· The hold was very dark, but not quite as dark as Willis had expected.· The blade is as long as the petiole, elliptical, and dark green with very dark nerves.· It was very dark, I could just make out the path and some trees.· A cold rain was beginning to fall, the sky to the east was very dark.
NOUN· No more Tube, no more of your favourite bands on the telly, another dark age as regards the media.· But now a dark age was about to begin.· The dark ages to come will endure not twelve, but thirty thousand years.· Different to Lefortovo, back in the dark ages from the second floor of the hospital block at Vladimir.· We must recover that dark age if we wish to understand our archaic fears and to rationalize them.· The dark ages, as she called them, have covered most of her royal life.· It was the middle of the dark ages.
· Like the people at Upchurch, Kubinski prefers dark chocolate to milk.
· A dark cloud floated across the moon.· And those bushy eyebrows that resembled dark clouds on his horizon.-How come?· Any minute now that dark cloud will open: a short, sharp shower.· We were bumping along a dirt road when a storm gathered dark clouds above us.· Sadly, when I was there war was not the only dark cloud looming on the horizon.· The dark clouds of red ink and layoffs at Apple Computer Inc. may contain a silver lining for consumers.· The sun was up, the dark clouds disappeared and for a moment she breathed easy.· It grows to be a small dark cloud of purpose, opaque with life.
· He is not a matey deity who shines a flashlight into some dark corner of his recalcitrant universe on demand.· I climbed up to the gateway of the bridge and hid in a dark corner.· A large emerald ring flashed a spot of light into a dark corner of the room.· White illuminates dark corners and enmasse provides a still breathing space among more lively shades.· I cried on reading that, quietly, in a dark corner of our hall.· The passenger was sitting in a dark corner and I could not see his face.· She sat in a quiet, dark corner listening to the service.
· How very nice to find one in these dark days.· The widow in question is hardly spending dark days adorned in black.· I still have dark days, but now I have hope and I know that the Lord will keep me safe.· In 1985, the darkest days of Macintosh, the evangelizing began to pay dividends.· As the dark days of winter engulfed the Old World the Chaos armies struck.· Those dark days are behind him and psychologically he is stronger.· It is often the case that the highest ambitions can be born in the darkest days of defeat.
· It would have filled the count's dark face with fury and suspicion.· In the fading light of the patio, Yolanda can not make out the expression on the dark face.· His dark face wore the cool, slightly ironic expression that she was getting to know well.· He was tall, with a thin dark face and cool white hands.· Benjamin, with his long, dark face, kindly eyes and lawyer's stoop.· He studies the little dark face and massages a limp hand until the fingers curl around his own.· In mounting anger she glared up at the taunting dark face, wondering how she could ever have thought his laughter attractive.· His dark face was framed by raven-black hair so perfectly cut that it barely changed its set as he moved.
· Behind them in a doorway is a man wearing plain clothes and dark glasses.· For a long time I wore dark glasses.· Method: Funnel the grapeseed oil into a dark glass bottle, add the essential oils and shake well.· He is photographed one more time, wearing dark glasses.· He is walking about Nice with dark glasses and bruises.· Maybe I should wear dark glasses.· She does not wear the dark glasses now.· The dark glasses were the final straw as far as my schoolmates were concerned.
· Alternatively, reverse colours, using dark green in feeder 1 and white or pastel colour in feeder 2, as illustrated.· Midway between sun and stagnant water he blazed in his glorious colors of putrefaction dark green, dark blue, black.· If the plant grows emersed, the leaves are dark green, stiff, leathery, sappy and very acutely branched.· In the valleys, you find a darker green of trees and the euphorbias that mimic our cactuses.· This looks to dark greens remarkably like getting into bed with the enemy.· In land forms they are wider and a glossy dark green or sometimes olive yellow-green.· Paint the centres a darker green.· The uniforms of the soldiers are a very dark green that looks gray, almost black in the firelight.
· Her hands lifted to cradle his head, and hold him against her, her fingers raking through the crisp dark hair.· The dark hairs of his arm gleamed in the early morning light.· She was under five feet five inches tall, but strikingly good-looking, with dark hair and eyes and vivacious manners.· A short, plump man with dark hair walked in behind her.· The skin tone, the shine on the dark hair, the thick sweep of lashes, were lifelike.· Tall guy, dark hair, hanging over your window like he hated saying goodbye.· Her long dark hair brushed like burnished jet.· All 15 victims were in their teens or early 20s, slim and petite, almost always with long, dark hair.
· Damian lifted his dark head to stare at her.· I look at myself in the mirror now and see the same strands of white streaking across my dark head.· He lifted his dark head, turning, moving away from her.· Kissing the dark head beside her, she settled down.· Her hand clutched his dark head.· But inside his small, dark head exciting and violent thoughts ran wild.· Vicky's dark head rose from the bedspread.· She nudged him as the sleek dark head of a seal bobbed up scant yards from where they were.
· During the journey away from his old un-reformed self, the mystic has to enter a dark night of the senses.· He knew what Trotsky had written, that revolution leads us out of the dark night of the isolated self.· It was a dark night, and on the beach they had fallen over the dead body of a man.· In the dark night, a house had gone intact to sea.· Nader is untroubled by the prospect of helping bring on the dark night of a Bush presidency.· The snow drifted down, muffling the sounds of the party, the fireworks spluttering, falling damply into the dark night.· I would have to keep my eyes open, on this dark, dark night.
· The room was a small, dark place with almost no furniture.· She was not a woman afraid of coming home to a dark place.· And this was certainly a dark place.· To me, a dark place is the Dark.· They returned to the bridge, fearful of every dark place - every corner, every door.· Everyone under-stands that the senate is a dark place, a secret place, a place not unlike a cesspool!· They were drawn from a deeper and darker place than this whiskery, milky, dungy communion with the cattle.· Come out of that dark place, Mitchell.
· The girl opened a door with a Yale key and they entered a dark room.· There was food in the dark, yes, mush food in the hush dark room.· She'd like to be on hand the moment they came out of the dark room.· Men, women, and children packed into dark rooms that stank like a stable.· Go to the dark room. 24.· The small dark room would seem to shrink even tinier.· Afterwards, I had to lie on a bed in a dark room.· We stayed in hotels, sharing single beds in small dark rooms.
· The terrible face showed the dark secrets of his life.· I was fascinated by Elvira because she had no family and because she seemed to know the darkest secrets.· Dennis Reason, a bank manager with dark secrets.· Did one of our four women have a dark secret?· It leads to death and a scandalous murder inquiry which threatens to expose some dark secrets.· And the deep, dark secret of my life.· He and his stupid little friends pretend to have dark secrets, contacts with the paramilitaries.· The presence of an illegitimate child to that elder brother had been kept a dark secret.
· They listen from the creosote-dark shadows of hedgerow and wood.· The voice came from his right, and Miguel noticed there were two guys standing there in an even darker shadow.· It was Corrary who pointed, and drew their gaze to the dark shadow on the water.· One day she came to history class with dark shadows under her eyes.· At first he couldn't see anyone, but suddenly, in the dark shadow of the Monument, he spotted Tina.· But his style casts a dark shadow over the material, rendering it claustrophobic.· On the altar there lay a long dark shadow.· We know also that the dark shadow of the Whitewater fiasco haunts her every endeavor.
· This was a night in their minds - a creature from the darker side of man's intellect.· This psychoanalysis of the Enlightenment obviously concentrated only on its darker side, its errors, aberrations and absurdities.· The creature from the darker side of man's intellect.· This, indeed, was the dark side of an economic success which in other respects was undeniably energetic and spectacular.· She was far from confident that she possessed the moral courage to endure further revelations from that dark side of her moon.· The dark side gets plenty of air time as it is.
· I have dark skin and hair and am a size 16.· In the early part of the century, only field laborers had dark skin.· Bourjois is well known for its vibrant collections and their spring range is no exception - ideal for dark skin.· But then Coco Chanel came back from a trip all tan and glowing in 1930, and dark skin was in.· He was in his early thirties with dark skin and a long face from which protruded a sharp, aquiline nose.· One morning she asked the class why it was that some people had darker skin than others.· They have dark skin, long noses and wear shabby farmers' smocks.· I think Janir resembles her more, with his dark skin, curly hair and strong features.
· There was a clear, dark sky.· Fireworks burst up into the dark sky, then fizz to nothing.· Black fragments of tombs rose up on either side of the road, silhouetted against the still not quite dark sky.· Birds circled in the dark sky.· But we must go further and when men speak of dark skies, we must think of our own bright interior skies.· The dark sky had forced an eerie light on to the buildings, causing colours to jump out in sharp relief.
· He was wearing a dark suit.· Gray, a prosperous-looking lawyer in his tasteful dark suits, asked for the presidential apology and brought the survivors to Washington.· With a smothered exclamation, she rested her face against the smooth material of his dark suit jacket.· A policeman, a thin man in a dark suit.· He was photographed by Man Ray in a sharp, dark suit with a striped shirt and white collar.· Although they were dressed formally in dark suits, both men were wearing heavy rubber boots in deference to winter.· Martin Landau dressed as another monarch in a dark suit and tie.· He wore an expensive-looking dark suit, but so creased and rumpled that it hung oddly even from this distance.
· At first she was shy but then she chattered about Nantes, how she missed the dark woods and green fields of Brittany.· The dark wood was now lit up with lurid flashes of artillery and the firefly sparkle of rifles.....· The broomstick dipped and then dived towards a dark wood of tall elms and flew over the tops.· The walls were paneled throughout in a dark wood.· The floorboards were still bare and the bed was the only furniture in the room except a large dark wood wardrobe.· All the tables and chairs are of solid dark wood to match the dark stained original wooden beams of the mill.· Augmenting the club-like atmosphere are the carefully chosen dark wood paneling, beveled stained glass and forest-green carpets.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► (dark) circles under your eyes► light/fair/dark complected► crop of dark hair/blonde curls etc
- Critics also worry that compassionate conservatism is a leap in the dark without any empirical evidence to back it up.
- Ten minutes later - another leap in the dark - he offered the appointment to Churchill.
- The man who hopes to be Chancellor next week can not surely be preparing a leap in the dark.
- Let's see if she's at Fiona's house. It's a shot in the dark, but we've got to start looking somewhere.
- My answer to the last question was a complete shot in the dark.
- That was a shot in the dark, but judging from the expression on his face it struck home.
- I'm just whistling in the dark on this one - I could really use some help.
WORD FAMILYadjectivedarkdarkeneddarkeningnoundarkdarknessverbdarkenadverbdarkly
1no light if it is dark, there is little or no light OPP light: The church was dark and quiet. the dark winter days Suddenly, the room went dark (=became dark). It gets dark (=night begins) about ten o'clock. It was still dark (=was night) when we boarded the train. It was pitch dark (=completely dark) in the attic.2colour quite close to black in colour OPP light, pale: There were dark clouds in the sky. men in dark suits a slightly darker colourdark blue/green/pink etc a dark blue dress► see thesaurus at colour3hair/eyes/skin someone who is dark has hair, eyes, or skin that is brown or black in colour OPP fair: a tall, dark man John’s dark skin and eyes4mysterious mysterious or secret: a dark secretkeep something dark British English (=keep something secret) Apparently, he has a son, but he’s kept that very dark.5evil evil or threatening: There was a darker side to his character. a place where so many dark deeds had been committed the dark forces of the universe6unhappy time a dark time is unhappy or without hope: the dark days of the war Even in the darkest moments, I still had you, my love.7feelings/thoughts if you have dark feelings or thoughts, you are very sad or worried: a dark depression her darkest fears8humour dark humour deals with things that are bad or upsetting in a funny way SYN black: the dark humor common in difficult situations9darkest Africa/South America etc old-fashioned the parts of Africa etc about which we know very little – this use is now often considered offensiveTHESAURUSdark if a place is dark, there is little or no light: · The room was very dark.· No, you can’t play outside, it’s too dark.· It was a dark night with clouds covering the moon.dimly-lit a dimly-lit building or place is fairly dark because the lights there are not very bright: · a dimly-lit restaurant· The church was dimly lit.dim a dim light is fairly dark: · The camera can take good pictures even in dim lighting.· The evening sky grew dim.darkened a darkened room or building is darker than usual, especially because its lights have been turned off or the curtains have been drawn: · The prisoner lay in a darkened room.· The play starts with a darkened stage, and the sound of a woman singing softly.gloomy a gloomy place or room is not at all bright or cheerful: · The bar was gloomy and smelled of stale cigar smoke.murky dark and difficult to see through – used especially about water: · the murky waters of the lake· I could hardly see him in the murky light of the bar.pitch-dark/pitch-black completely dark, so that nothing can be seen: · It was pitch-dark inside the shed.shady a shady place is cooler and darker than the area around it, because the light of the sun cannot reach it: · It was nice and shady under the trees.· They found a shady spot for a picnic.dark1 adjectivedark2 noun
darkdark2 ●●● S3 W3 noun EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- And she gets up in the night and sits by the telephone in the hall in the dark.
- He had the impression that there wasn't much left of the still figure in the dark.
- Many more settlements, houses and trailers, side roads disappearing into the dark, than there were years ago.
- There's nowhere to hang in the dark.
THESAURUSdark colours
used about a colour that is strong and fairly close to black: · a dark blue suit· His eyes are dark brown.
fairly dark – often used when you think this colour looks attractive: · His eyes were a beautiful deep blue.· deep red lips
used about a colour that is fairly dark in a way that gives a pleasant feeling of warmth: · The walls were painted a rich red colour.
Longman Language Activatordark and with little or no light if a place is dark , there is little or no light: · Thick curtains covered the windows and the room was very dark.· I shrank back into the darkest corner of the room, and prayed that the soldiers would not see me.· No, you can't play outside, it's too dark.· It was a dark night and he was afraid they might get lost if they went across the fields.· Anyone who disobeyed him ran the risk of getting beaten up in a dark alley, or even killed.
completely dark, so that nothing can be seen: · It's pitch dark in there. I can't see a thing.· Inside the cellar it was pitch black.
a gloomy place or room is not at all bright or cheerful - use this especially in stories or written descriptions: · The bar was gloomy and smelled of stale cigar smoke.· I never liked visiting Dr Allen in his gloomy old study.
a room, street, or place that is dingy is fairly dark and usually dirty and in bad condition: · He ate lunch in a dingy little cafe next to the station.· The room was damp and dingy.
a darkened room or building is darker than usual, especially because its lights have been turned off or there are no lights: · The prisoner lay in a darkened room.· The production opens with a darkened stage, and the sound of a woman singing softly.
an area or building that is dimly- lit is fairly dark because the lights there are not very bright: · a long, dimly-lit corridor· Madame Gloriana led the way into a dimly lit back room.
an area, building, or room that is unlit is dark because there are no lights on there: · The path was unlit, and she needed a torch to find her way.· Behind the gasoline pumps the unlit garage stood like a huge black shadow.
to become dark when it gets dark , the sky becomes dark, usually because it is night: · It was getting dark, and we were worried that we wouldn't make it back to the village before nightfall. · When we were camping we used to go to sleep as soon as it got dark.· It's getting very dark out there -- there's going to be a storm.
if natural light fades , it gradually becomes weaker, because night is coming: · The light slowly began to fade and the trees became mere shadows.· I want to take some photographs before the light fades.
if the sky darkens , it gradually becomes darker than before, often because of bad weather: · In a few minutes the sky darkened and heavy rain began to fall.· We walked along the shore as the sun's last rays winked over the darkening sea, then headed for home.
: night/evening/darkness falls use this especially in stories to say that the night begins and it becomes dark: · We got back home just as night was falling.· Darkness fell on the town and the streetlights came on one by one.
if a room, building etc is plunged into darkness it is suddenly made dark because all the lights have been turned off: · Suddenly the light went out and the narrow stairs were plunged into darkness.· Lightning struck the power lines, plunging half the city into darkness.
darkness a place or time where there is no light: · A voice came from out of the darkness, but she couldn't see anyone.· As my eyes became used to the darkness I could make out a bed in the corner of the room.· The city was a violent place at that time, and it was not safe to walk the streets during the hours of darkness.in complete darkness: · Colour films must be developed in complete darkness.
when there is no light, especially in a room: · Children who are afraid of the dark need to be reassured.in the dark: · Why are you sitting there in the dark? Put the light on.
the place near a building, trees etc where it is darker than everywhere else because it is hidden from the sun's light: · Someone was hiding in the shadows at the end of the garden.· Two figures moved out of the shadows into the moonlit street.
dull, grey light like the light of the early morning or early evening - use this especially in stories and written descriptions: · He urged the mule forward through the half-light of the forest.in the half-light: · It was difficult to see who was standing there in the dim half-light of the hall.
when a place or room does not have enough light to see properly and is not at all cheerful - use this especially in stories and written descriptions: · I stepped through the doorway and peered into the gloom.· Jon could hear her voice but was unable to see anything in the gloom.
a guess that is based on very little information the answer you give when you are trying to guess a number or amount but are not able to be exact: · I'd say Mrs Roberts was about 35, but that's only a rough guess.make/take/have a rough guess: · It's terribly difficult to calculate, but I could make a rough guess and say the cost will be about half a million.at a rough guess: · "How long will the journey take?" "At a rough guess, about six hours."
a strange feeling that you know the answer to something, even though you have very little information to help you to guess: · It's just a hunch, but it's possible the murderer may have been a woman.hunch that: · My hunch that he was lying turned out to be correct.have a hunch: · I have a hunch that Jodie may be planning a surprise party.hunch about: · "How did you know the answer?" "I just had a hunch about it."
a guess, especially an answer, that seems stupid or is very likely to be wrong: · This is a wild guess, but is the answer Michael Jackson?
a guess that you make when you have no information at all, so that it is almost certainly wrong: · Let's see if she's at Fiona's house. It's a shot in the dark, but we've got to start looking somewhere.
to not know about something that other people know if you are in the dark about something, especially something important, you have not been told about it because other people want to keep it secret: · We have no idea why he's been arrested. We're still completely in the dark.be in the dark about: · Most board members were kept in the dark about this important financial information.· We're being kept in the dark about the dangers of food additives by the big food manufacturers.
informal if you are not in on a secret plan, you have not been told about it and are not involved in it: · They weren't in on the robbery -- only me and my brother knew about it.
when something shines in the dark something that is luminous shines in the dark, especially because it is made from or painted with a substance that shines: · It's a good idea to paint your bike with luminous paint so that you are more visible to motorists.· He couldn't tell what time it was since his watch didn't have a luminous dial.
made from a very brightly coloured material which throws back light from its surface very strongly, and can easily be seen: · If you plan to jog along roadsides, it's a good idea to wear at least one article of fluorescent clothing.· I'm sorry, but fluorescent green socks are just not suitable for a job interview.
something that glows in the dark gives off a continuous soft light and can be easily seen when it is dark, especially because it is covered in special paint: · One of the children was playing with a yo-yo which glowed in the dark.· Outside the cathedral, vendors were selling small statues of the Virgin which glowed in the dark.
trademark having a very bright orange, green, yellow, or pink color: · Dickie was dressed in a Day-Glo orange vest, jeans and running shoes.· Outside the club, a woman was handing out day-glo green fliers.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We stood outside in the pitch dark (=when there is no light at all). College officials were kept in the dark about the investigation.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a dark blue raincoat a dark green dress dark grey trousers Sam was tall, dark, and handsome.
We stood outside in the pitch dark (=when there is no light at all). College officials were kept in the dark about the investigation. a dark blue raincoat· dark brown eyes
(also plain chocolate British English) (=without milk and with very little sugar)· strawberries dipped in dark chocolate
(=a black or grey cloud)· A dark cloud covered the sun.
(=more like black than white)· People tend to wear dark colours to work.
(=about subjects that are usually sad or serious, especially death)· The plot contains plenty of black comedy.
· Bright colours may suit you if your complexion is dark.
· a little boy with a tangle of blond curls
· His eyes are dark brown.
· His face suddenly became pale and I thought he was going to faint.
(=without anything to make you feel hopeful)· The theatre is losing money and its future looks bleak.
(=sunglasses)· She wore a scarf over her head and dark glasses.
a dark green dress dark grey trousers· He’s about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes.
Sam was tall, dark, and handsome. (=with blonde etc hair)· I saw my son’s blond head sticking out from the car window.
(=jokes, funny stories etc about the unpleasant parts of life)· The tone of the film is light but there are moments of black humour.
· He groped his way along the dark passage.
· She noticed two dark patches on the sleeve of his shirt.
· His face went purple with rage.
(=a secret about something bad)· I’m sure every family has a few dark secrets.
· She saw the dark shadow of a man in the doorway.
(=bad things relating to something)· The book is an examination of the dark side of genius.
· a girl with beautiful dark skin
· Fireworks burst up into the dark sky.
· There was a brown stain on the bedroom ceiling.
· He peered uneasily down the dark tunnel at the end of the platform.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· It was growing dark, for the clocks had been turned back weeks ago and the nights were drawing in.· It was growing dark, but Gabriel and the other men could not avoid noticing how Boldwood looked at her.· It was growing dark, the moon hung between the trees in a misty haze as though unwilling to appear at all.· The September evening was already growing dark.· Outside it was growing dark, only a red glow showed where the sun had set.· But we were so late it was growing dark.
NOUN· His face dark with temper, he parked the car.
· It was pitch dark everywhere, and the whirr of the ceiling fan seemed to fill the silent bedroom.· It was pitch dark where I was standing, and silent as a tomb.· He developed the photographs himself, blundering round the bathroom in the pitch dark.· It was pitch dark, but a man could follow the path by the pale line of sky between the branches.· It was pitch dark inside the attic.· In the freezing cold and pitch dark, families were driven to clinging to the roof.· I set off at 5 am but those Sussex lanes are pitch dark, and hilly!· Inside the coffin it is pitch dark and fouled with faeces because women confined there are refused access to a toilet.
VERB· Then she wondered suddenly if Tom Russell had known she would find it intimidating and had deliberately kept her in the dark.· The owner said that he would rather keep the theatre dark than offer such rubbish.· He would keep Auden dark, his true nature masked from Ebert.· It wasn't right for a man in his position to be kept in the dark.· And people, leftover people like - like grubs that've been kept in the dark.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► (dark) circles under your eyes► light/fair/dark complected► crop of dark hair/blonde curls etc
- Children are sometimes afraid of the dark.
- Children who are afraid of the dark need to be reassured.
- Why are you sitting there in the dark? Put the light on.
- Badgers usually only venture out after dark, so they can be difficult to spot.
- I have often come out here alone after dark to breathe it in.
- If McQuaid had a big order to fill he mightn't come till after dark.
- Not many people chose to take a ride on such a bumpy, gloomy road after dark in the month of January.
- Start in the morning and not go home until dark.
- That evening I was all right - Joanna would be afloat in the late afternoon, and I could get away before dark.
- We had been too nervous to arrive after dark.
- We worked from early morning until dark.
- A snippet of tape showing scattered flames in the dark ran over and over.
- He had to run back in the dark and make safe the Lewes bomb.
- He wants to keep Portsmouth in the dark until the teams line-up for the kick-off.
- How could anybody tell in the dark?
- I make up all the words myself, just like when I lived in the dark.
- Mavis crossed the footbridge cautiously, listening in the dark for the river below.
- She was as much in the dark as Privet herself, and perhaps the others were the same.
- Critics also worry that compassionate conservatism is a leap in the dark without any empirical evidence to back it up.
- Ten minutes later - another leap in the dark - he offered the appointment to Churchill.
- The man who hopes to be Chancellor next week can not surely be preparing a leap in the dark.
- Let's see if she's at Fiona's house. It's a shot in the dark, but we've got to start looking somewhere.
- My answer to the last question was a complete shot in the dark.
- That was a shot in the dark, but judging from the expression on his face it struck home.
- I'm just whistling in the dark on this one - I could really use some help.
WORD FAMILYadjectivedarkdarkeneddarkeningnoundarkdarknessverbdarkenadverbdarkly
1the dark when there is no light, especially because the sun has gone down: my childish fear of the darkin the dark I turned off the light and lay there in the dark. We stood outside in the pitch dark (=when there is no light at all).► see thesaurus at colour2after/before/until dark after, before, or until the sun goes down at night: I want you home before dark.3in the dark informal knowing nothing about something important, because you have not been told about it: We’re in the dark just as much as you are. College officials were kept in the dark about the investigation. → a shot in the dark at shot1(10)