dawn
-
1 the first light of day (n.) B1 Intermediatethe time in the early morning when light first appears in the sky, just before the sun rises.
the period of first light in the morning, preceding sunrise; a relational boundary between night and day.
ExampleThe farmers were already out in the fields at dawn while most people were still sleeping.
ExampleThe expedition team planned to depart at dawn, hoping to reach the mountain pass before the midday heat made the climb more difficult.
-
2 the beginning of something (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe very start of a new period of time or a new idea.
the earliest stage or beginning of a particular historical period, movement, or phenomenon.
ExampleThe invention of the internet marked the dawn of a new era in communication.
ExampleHistorians often debate whether this specific treaty truly represented the dawn of modern diplomacy or merely a continuation of older practices.
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
-
3 to become light (v.) B2 Upper Intermediate Literaryto start to become light in the morning.
to begin to grow light as the sun rises. Intransitive use.
ExampleThe day dawned clear and cold after the storm had passed.
ExampleAs the day dawned over the valley, the mist began to lift, revealing the damage caused by the previous night's flooding.
-
4 to realize something (v.) B2 Upper Intermediateto suddenly understand something or realize a truth.
to begin to be perceived or understood; typically used with 'on' or 'upon'.
ExampleIt slowly dawned on him that he had left his keys inside the locked house.
ExampleIt only dawned on the investigators much later that the witness had been describing a completely different vehicle.
UsageUsually used in the pattern 'it dawned on someone that...'
From dawn.