English Online Dictionary. What means dark? What does dark mean?
English
Pronunciation
- (General American) enPR: därk, IPA(key): /dɑɹk/
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: därk, IPA(key): /dɑːk/
- Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)k
- Homophones: doc, dock (non-rhotic with father-bother merger)
Etymology 1
From Middle English derk, from Old English deorc, from Proto-West Germanic *derk (“dark”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerg- (“dim, dull”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“dull, dirty”).
Adjective
dark (comparative darker, superlative darkest)
- Having an absolute or (more often) relative lack of light.
- (of a source of light) Extinguished.
- Deprived of sight; blind.
- Transmitting, reflecting, or receiving inadequate light to render timely discernment or comprehension: caliginous, darkling, dim, gloomy, lightless, sombre.
- (of colour) Dull or deeper in hue; not bright or light.
- Ambiguously or unclearly expressed: enigmatic, esoteric, mysterious, obscure, undefined.
- Marked by or conducted with secrecy: hidden, secret; clandestine, surreptitious.
- (gambling, of race horses) Having racing capability not widely known.
- Without moral or spiritual light; sinister, malign.
- Synonym: demonic
- Conducive to hopelessness; depressing or bleak.
- (of a time period) Lacking progress in science or the arts.
- Extremely sad, depressing, or somber, typically due to, or marked by, a tragic or undesirable event.
- With emphasis placed on the unpleasant aspects of life; said of a work of fiction, a work of nonfiction presented in narrative form, or a portion of either.
- (broadcasting, of a television station) Off the air; not transmitting.
Synonyms
- (relative lack of light): dim, gloomy, see also Thesaurus:dark
- (sinister or secret): hidden, secret, sinister, see also Thesaurus:hidden
- (without morals): malign, sinister, see also Thesaurus:evil
- (of colour): deep, see also Thesaurus:dark colour
- (conducive to hopelessness): hopeless, negative, pessimistic
- (lacking progress): unenlightened
Antonyms
- (relative lack of light): bright, light, lit
- (of colour): bright, light, pale
Derived terms
Related terms
- darken
- darkling
- darkness
Translations
Etymology 2
From Middle English derk, derke, dirke, dyrke, from the adjective (see above), or possibly from an unrecorded Old English *dierce, *diercu (“dark, darkness”).
Noun
dark (usually uncountable, plural darks)
- A complete or (more often) partial absence of light.
- (uncountable) Ignorance.
- (uncountable) Nightfall.
- A dark shade or dark passage in a painting, engraving, etc.
Synonyms
- (absence of light): darkness
- (ignorance): cluelessness, knowledgelessness, unawareness
- (nightfall): crepusculum, evenfall, mirkning; see also Thesaurus:dusk
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 3
From Middle English derken, from Old English deorcian, from Proto-West Germanic *derkōn.
Verb
dark (third-person singular simple present darks, present participle darking, simple past and past participle darked)
- (intransitive) To grow or become dark, darken.
- (intransitive) To remain in the dark, lurk, lie hidden or concealed.
- (transitive) To make dark, darken; to obscure.
See also
- black
- shadow
Anagrams
- k-rad
Italian
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English dark.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdark/
- Rhymes: -ark
- Hyphenation: dàrk
Adjective
dark (invariable)
- dark (used especially to describe a form of punk music)