darkly

Everyday

1. Darkly means in a threatening, mysterious or gloomy way. tree →
2. Darkly can mean with dark colours or in the dark. tree →
3. Darkly funny means funny about sad or frightening things. tree →

In the lessons

In stories, someone who «hints darkly» or «mutters darkly» suggests danger or bad news without saying it plainly. In The Wind in the Willows the Badger speaks darkly of the Wild Wood. In the Bible (1 Corinthians), «through a glass, darkly» means seeing things dimly, not clearly yet.

Examples

• «Something terrible will happen,» he said darkly. tree →
• The sky glowed darkly before the storm. tree →
• Rat hinted darkly at the dangers of the Wild Wood. tree →
• The film was darkly funny. tree →
• Her eyes were darkly shaded. tree →
• «For now we see through a glass, darkly.» tree →

Note

From «dark» + «-ly». Usually about tone or mood, not just about light.