■ adjective
1》 with little or no light.
2》 of a deep or sombre colour.
↘(of skin, hair, or eyes) brown or black.
↘(of a person) having ~ skin, hair, or eyes.
3》 characterized by unhappiness or unpleasantness: the ~ days of the war.
↘(of an expression) angry.
↘evil; sinister: ~ deeds.
4》 mysterious: a ~ secret.
↘( ~est ) humorous (of a region) most remote, inaccessible, or uncivilized.
↘ archaic ignorant.
■ noun
1》 ( the ~ ) the absence of light.
↘a ~ colour or shade.
2》 nightfall.
Phrases
in the ~ in a state of ignorance.
keep something ~ Brit. keep something secret.
a shot (or stab ) in the ~ a mere guess.
Derivatives
~ish adjective
~ly adverb
~ness noun
~some adjective ( literary ).
Origin
OE deorc , of Gmc origin.