As we embark on this journey, prepare to delve into the shadows and explore the richness of language that describes the absence of light. From being “in the dark” to the enigmatic “dark horse,” each phrase is a linguistic masterpiece that adds a unique layer to our understanding of darkness.
Idioms for Darkness
In the Dark
Meaning: Unaware or uninformed about something.
In a Sentence: He was completely in the dark about the surprise party planned for his birthday.
Pitch Black
Meaning: Extremely dark or black.
In a Sentence: The night was so cloudy that it became pitch black, making it difficult to see anything.
Night Owl
Meaning: A person who stays up late into the night.
In a Sentence: My roommate is a true night owl; she often works on her projects until the early hours of the morning.
Under the Cover of Darkness
Meaning: Concealed or hidden by the darkness.
In a Sentence: The thieves operated under the cover of darkness, making it challenging for the security cameras to capture their faces.
In the Shadows
Meaning: Hidden or unnoticed, especially due to secrecy or ambiguity.
In a Sentence: The mysterious figure lingered in the shadows, observing the events from a distance.
Blind as a Bat
Meaning: Unable to see well in low light or darkness.
In a Sentence: Without his glasses, he felt as blind as a bat trying to navigate through the dimly lit room.
Dark Horse
Meaning: Someone with hidden talents or abilities, not easily recognized.
In a Sentence: The quiet girl in the class turned out to be a dark horse in the school’s chess competition.
Out of the Dark
Meaning: Emerging from a difficult or challenging situation.
In a Sentence: Despite facing setbacks, the company managed to come out of the dark with a groundbreaking innovation.
Dark Side
Meaning: The negative or hidden aspect of something or someone.
In a Sentence: Everyone has a dark side; it’s just a matter of whether they choose to reveal it.
In the Dead of Night
Meaning: During the darkest and quietest part of the night.
In a Sentence: The mysterious howling could be heard only in the dead of night, sending shivers down our spines.
A Shot in the Dark
Meaning: A wild or random guess.
In a Sentence: Taking a shot in the dark, he attempted to solve the riddle without any clues.
Dark Clouds on the Horizon
Meaning: Troubles or difficulties that are anticipated.
In a Sentence: The economic downturn cast dark clouds on the horizon for many small businesses.
Black as Coal
Meaning: Extremely black or dark.
In a Sentence: The night sky was black as coal, with no stars visible through the thick clouds.
Darken Someone’s Doorstep
Meaning: To bring trouble or misfortune to someone.
In a Sentence: He was warned not to darken the doorstep of that notorious neighborhood after dark.
Darken One’s Door
Meaning: To visit someone’s home, often unwelcome or with negative intentions.
In a Sentence: After the falling out, he never dared to darken her door again.
Dark Before the Dawn
Meaning: Things may get worse before they improve.
In a Sentence: The project faced numerous challenges, but they believed it was dark before the dawn.
As Black as Pitch
Meaning: Extremely dark, like the substance pitch.
In a Sentence: The cave was as black as pitch, making it impossible to see without a flashlight.
A Cloud on the Horizon
Meaning: A sign of trouble or difficulty in the future.
In a Sentence: The political unrest in the region was a dark cloud on the horizon for the residents.
Cast a Shadow
Meaning: To cause doubt or suspicion.
In a Sentence: His sudden disappearance cast a shadow over the success of the mission.
Deep in the Shadows
Meaning: Engaged in secretive or illicit activities.
In a Sentence: The criminal operated deep in the shadows, avoiding the watchful eyes of law enforcement.
Throw Someone to the Wolves
Meaning: To sacrifice someone for the benefit of others.
In a Sentence: The manager decided to throw the inexperienced employee to the wolves by assigning the challenging project to him.
Like a Bat Out of Hell
Meaning: Moving extremely fast or recklessly.
In a Sentence: When the alarm went off, everyone evacuated the building like a bat out of hell.
Behind Closed Doors
Meaning: Done in private or secretly.
In a Sentence: The negotiations took place behind closed doors, away from the public eye.
Burn the Midnight Oil
Meaning: To work late into the night.
In a Sentence: The dedicated writer chose to burn the midnight oil to meet the tight deadline.
Darken One’s Mood
Meaning: To make someone feel sad or upset.
In a Sentence: The news of the accident immediately darkened everyone’s mood at the celebration.
In the Depths of Despair
Meaning: Experiencing extreme sadness or hopelessness.
In a Sentence: After the loss, she found herself in the depths of despair, struggling to cope with the grief.
As Dark as Night
Meaning: Extremely dark, comparable to nighttime.
In a Sentence: The abandoned mansion looked as dark as night, giving it an eerie appearance.
Darken the Mood
Meaning: To create a somber or gloomy atmosphere.
In a Sentence: The sudden rainstorm seemed to darken the mood of the outdoor celebration.
Leave Someone in the Dark
Meaning: To keep someone uninformed or unaware.
In a Sentence: The team decided to leave him in the dark about the surprise to heighten the impact.
In the Black
Meaning: Financially profitable or successful.
In a Sentence: Despite initial challenges, the company managed to get back in the black with a series of strategic decisions.
Summary
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| In the Dark | Unaware or uninformed about something. | He was completely in the dark about the surprise party planned for his birthday. |
| Pitch Black | Extremely dark or black. | The night was so cloudy that it became pitch black, making it difficult to see anything. |
| Night Owl | A person who stays up late into the night. | My roommate is a true night owl; she often works on her projects until the early hours of the morning. |
| Under the Cover of Darkness | Concealed or hidden by the darkness. | The thieves operated under the cover of darkness, making it challenging for the security cameras to capture their faces. |
| In the Shadows | Hidden or unnoticed, especially due to secrecy or ambiguity. | The mysterious figure lingered in the shadows, observing the events from a distance. |
| Blind as a Bat | Unable to see well in low light or darkness. | Without his glasses, he felt as blind as a bat trying to navigate through the dimly lit room. |
| Dark Horse | Someone with hidden talents or abilities, not easily recognized. | The quiet girl in the class turned out to be a dark horse in the school’s chess competition. |
| Out of the Dark | Emerging from a difficult or challenging situation. | Despite facing setbacks, the company managed to come out of the dark with a groundbreaking innovation. |
| Dark Side | The negative or hidden aspect of something or someone. | Everyone has a dark side; it’s just a matter of whether they choose to reveal it. |
| In the Dead of Night | During the darkest and quietest part of the night. | The mysterious howling could be heard only in the dead of night, sending shivers down our spines. |
| A Shot in the Dark | A wild or random guess. | Taking a shot in the dark, he attempted to solve the riddle without any clues. |
| Dark Clouds on the Horizon | Troubles or difficulties that are anticipated. | The economic downturn cast dark clouds on the horizon for many small businesses. |
| Black as Coal | Extremely black or dark. | The night sky was black as coal, with no stars visible through the thick clouds. |
| Darken Someone’s Doorstep | To bring trouble or misfortune to someone. | He was warned not to darken the doorstep of that notorious neighborhood after dark. |
| Darken One’s Door | To visit someone’s home, often unwelcome or with negative intentions. | After the falling out, he never dared to darken her door again. |
| Dark Before the Dawn | Things may get worse before they improve. | The project faced numerous challenges, but they believed it was dark before the dawn. |
| As Black as Pitch | Extremely dark, like the substance pitch. | The cave was as black as pitch, making it impossible to see without a flashlight. |
| A Cloud on the Horizon | A sign of trouble or difficulty in the future. | The political unrest in the region was a dark cloud on the horizon for the residents. |
| Cast a Shadow | To cause doubt or suspicion. | His sudden disappearance cast a shadow over the success of the mission. |
| Deep in the Shadows | Engaged in secretive or illicit activities. | The criminal operated deep in the shadows, avoiding the watchful eyes of law enforcement. |
| Throw Someone to the Wolves | To sacrifice someone for the benefit of others. | The manager decided to throw the inexperienced employee to the wolves by assigning the challenging project to him. |
| Like a Bat Out of Hell | Moving extremely fast or recklessly. | When the alarm went off, everyone evacuated the building like a bat out of hell. |
| Behind Closed Doors | Done in private or secretly. | The negotiations took place behind closed doors, away from the public eye. |
| Burn the Midnight Oil | To work late into the night. | The dedicated writer chose to burn the midnight oil to meet the tight deadline. |
| Darken One’s Mood | To make someone feel sad or upset. | The news of the accident immediately darkened everyone’s mood at the celebration. |
| In the Depths of Despair | Experiencing extreme sadness or hopelessness. | After the loss, she found herself in the depths of despair, struggling to cope with the grief. |
| As Dark as Night | Extremely dark, comparable to nighttime. | The abandoned mansion looked as dark as night, giving it an eerie appearance. |
| Darken the Mood | To create a somber or gloomy atmosphere. | The sudden rainstorm seemed to darken the mood of the outdoor celebration. |
| Leave Someone in the Dark | To keep someone uninformed or unaware. | The team decided to leave him in the dark about the surprise to heighten the impact. |
| In the Black | Financially profitable or successful. | Despite initial challenges, the company managed to get back in the black with a series of strategic decisions. |
Conclusion
As we conclude our exploration of idioms for darkness, we’ve unveiled a spectrum of expressions that vividly paint the myriad facets of the absence of light. From the mysterious allure of being “in the shadows” to the unpredictability of taking “a shot in the dark,” these idioms add depth and richness to our everyday language.