Dictionary

dark lantern en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (historical) A lantern with a panel that slides to block the light.
   • Your silent matches, / Your dark-lantern seize; / Take your file and your skeleton keys! 1879, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, “With cat-like tread”, in The Pirates of Penzance […], Philadelphia: J.M. Stoddart & Co., published 1880, →OCLC, page 35:
   • In the meantime, Mr. Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern. 1891 [August], A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure II.—The Red-Headed League.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II (July to December), number [8], London: […], page 201, column 2:
   • The old monk who was the night-janitor of the monastery now appeared bearing in his hand a dark-lantern and a wattle basket with some fruit and a bowl of rice. 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 1022:
   • “Yes,” continued the valet, “and sigh his soul to the last puff unobserved, liked the dying flame in a dark lanthorn.” 1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 37:

Forms

Synonyms

blind lantern

Translations (8)

ru потайно́й фона́рь (lantern with panel) · ota خرسز فناری (lantern with panel) · de Diebslaterne (lantern with panel) · pl ślepa latarka (lantern with panel) · ga laindéar súile (lantern with panel) · sv blindlykta (lantern with panel) · de Blendlaterne (lantern with panel) · tr hırsız feneri (lantern with panel)