dark ‧ ness W3 /ˈdɑːknəs, ˈdɑːknɪs $ ˈdɑːrk-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ dark , darkened, darkening; noun : ↑ dark , ↑ darkness ; verb : ↑ darken ; adverb : ↑ darkly ]
1 . when there is no light:
the long hours of darkness during winter
in darkness
The lamp suddenly went out, leaving us in darkness.
total/pitch/complete darkness
The room was in total darkness.
We lit our campfire as darkness fell (=it became night) .
He stared out the window at the gathering darkness (=the night slowly coming) .
2 . evil or the devil:
His smooth manner covered a heart of darkness.
the forces/powers of darkness (=the devil or evil people)
3 . the dark quality of a colour:
the darkness of the lenses
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ complete/total darkness
It was late and all the houses in the village were in total darkness.
▪ pitch darkness (=complete darkness)
We ended up coming down the mountain in pitch darkness.
▪ deep/thick darkness literary:
All around her was the deep darkness of a winter night.
▪ gathering/growing darkness literary (=night that is slowly coming)
The garden was almost invisible now in the gathering darkness.
■ verbs
▪ darkness falls/comes ( also darkness descends literary )
As darkness fell, rescue workers had to give up the search.
▪ darkness closes in literary (=it becomes darker outside)
The rain turned to snow and darkness closed in.
▪ be plunged into darkness (=be suddenly in darkness because the lights go out)
Suddenly the electricity went off and we were plunged into darkness.
■ phrases
▪ the hours of darkness (=the night)
Desert animals come out during the hours of darkness when its cool.
▪ under cover of darkness (=when darkness makes you less likely to be seen)
The attack was planned to take place under cover of darkness.