- dark
- 1
adjective
1 PLACE a dark place is one where there is little or no light: The church was dark and quiet. | I waited for them in a dark alley. | go dark (=become dark): Suddenly, the room went dark and somebody screamed.—opposite light 3 (3)2 COLOUR not light or pale in colour: dark blue/green/pink etc: a dark blue dress—opposite light 3 (1)3 it gets dark when it gets dark in the evening the light disappears and night begins: Come on, let's go in, it's getting dark.4 HAIR/EYES someone who is dark has hair and eyes that are black or brown: a tall, dark man—opposite fair 1 (5)5 THREATENING/MYSTERIOUS ETC threatening, mysterious, or evil: the dark forces of the night | There was a darker side to his character.6 FEELINGS/THOUGHTS dark thoughts are sad and show that you think something very bad may happen: I sat there gloomily, thinking dark thoughts.7 keep sth dark informal to keep something secret: You're getting married! You kept that dark!8 UNHAPPY TIME a dark time is unhappy or without hope: in the dark days of the war | Even in the darkest moments, I still had you, my love.9 dark horsea) someone who people do not know much about who surprises everyone by winning a competitionb) BrE someone who does not tell people much and who has surprising qualities or abilities: She's a dark horse. I didn't know she'd written a novel.10 darkest Africa/South America etc old-fashioned the parts of Africa etc about which we know very little—see also: pitchblack 2 noun (U)1 the dark a situation in which there is no light: Children are sometimes afraid of the dark. | in the dark: Be careful if you're walking home in the dark.2 after dark at night: Some of my friends won't go out after dark.3 before dark before the time when it gets dark at night: You can go out, but make sure you come home before dark.4 be in the dark informal to know nothing about something important because you have not been told about it: Well, I'm afraid we're in the dark as much as you are. | keep sb in the dark: The public was kept in the dark about the assassination attempt.—see also: a shot in the dark shot 1 (14)
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.