darken

Everyday

1. To become darker or to make something darker. tree →
2. To become sad, angry or less hopeful, as a face or mood can. tree →
3. (idiom) Never darken my door again means never come to my house again. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on light, a room darkens when you close the curtains. In stories, the sky darkens before a storm and a character's face darkens with anger. In art, you darken a colour by adding black. Phrases: the sky darkened, darken someone's door.

Examples

• The sky darkened before the storm. tree →
• Close the blinds to darken the room for the film. tree →
• Add a little black to darken the paint. tree →
• His face darkened when he heard the bad news. tree →
• The leaves darken in late summer. tree →
• As the sun went down, the forest darkened. tree →
• At last the day began to darken, and the evening came; still he had caught not a single fish. tree →

Note

Regular verb: darkened. The -en ending means to make or become (like brighten, soften, harden). Opposite: brighten, lighten.

In Jewish tradition

In Amos it is part of God's warning of judgment, when the sun will go down at noon.

Interpretation. Amos's words are read as a picture of a terrible day when the world seems to turn upside down because of Israel's sins.

Examples

• And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day. (Prophets AMO.8.9, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: darkened. The -en ending means to make or become (like brighten, soften, harden). Opposite: brighten, lighten.