Dictionary

darken en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdɑɹkən/ (General-American)
• /ˈdɑːkən/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English derkenen, dirkenen, from Old English *deorcnian, *diercnian (“to darken”), from Proto-West Germanic *dirkinōn (“to darken”), equivalent to dark + -en. Cognate with Scots derken, durken (“to darken”), Old High German tarchanjan, terchinen (“to darken”), Middle High German terken, derken (“to darken”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make dark or darker by reducing light.
   • So spake the Sovran voice, and Clouds began To darken all the Hill […] 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 56-58:
   • Almos is a hydrogen-helium gas giant with traces of sodium darkening its atmosphere. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, Almos, Vamshi system, Armstrong Nebula, PC, scene: Mission Computer:
   • […] they [locusts] covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened […] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 10:15:
2. (intransitive) To become dark or darker (having less light).
   • […] the owl and the bat flew round the darkening trees: 1783, William Blake, “The Couch of Death”, in Richard Herne Shepherd, editor, Poetical Sketches, London: Basil Montagu Pickering, published 1868, page 84:
   • […] leaning at her window she watched the end of that eventful day darken over the ranges. 1930, Zane Grey, “Chapter Twelve”, in The Shepherd of Guadeloupe:
3. (impersonal) To get dark (referring to the sky, either in the evening or as a result of cloud).
   • Well, I must go in now; and you too: it darkens. 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter XV, in Jane Eyre. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 289:
   • Then they passed out from the Forum, forced their way through the crowded streets, and soon were through the Porta Ratumena, outside the walls, and struck out across the Campus Martius, upon the Via Flaminia. It was rapidly darkening. 1901, William Stearns Davis, “Chapter 4”, in A Friend of Cæsar, New York: Macmillan, page 57:
   • It had been fine all morning, but it was darkening now, the weather was going to get worse. 1996, Colm Tóibín, “Portrait of the Artist as a Spring Lamb”, in The Kilfenora Teaboy: A Study of Paul Durcan, Dublin: New Island Books, page 7:
   • From babyhood until fourteen, to play in a garden in the evening when it is darkening is a legend. 1945, Gertrude Stein, Wars I Have Seen, London: B.T. Batsford, page 13:
   • He looked up. It was darkening here as well. Sky getting red, the edge of the quarry dark and jagged against it. 2005, David Almond, chapter 10, in Clay, London: Hodder Literature, page 44:
4. (transitive) To make dark or darker in colour.
   • She puts on lipstick and darkens her eyebrows, which are now very scanty […] 2009, Alice Munro, “Free Radicals”, in Too Much Happiness, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, page 118:
5. (intransitive) To become dark or darker in colour.
   • The lovely hair had lost its rose-gold glimmer, and had darkened to rose-brown […] 1979, Mary Stewart, The Last Enchantment, New York: Fawcett Crest, Book 4, Chapter 4, p. 405:
6. (transitive) To render gloomy, darker in mood.
   • It was a pleasure seeing you again. I’m only sorry I had to darken the pleasure with my private problems. 1969, Chaim Potok, chapter 4, in The Promise, New York: Fawcett Crest, published 1872, page 89:
   • With these forced thoughts, I prithee, darken not The mirth o’ the feast. c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
7. (intransitive) To become gloomy, darker in mood.
   • 1797, Ann Radcliffe, The Italian, London: T. Cadell Jun[ior] and W. Davies, Volume 2, Chapter 9, p. 303, His countenance darkened while he spoke […]
   • Alice’s big eyes darkened with trouble. 1942, Emily Carr, “Mrs. Crane”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC:
8. (transitive) To blind, impair the eyesight.
   • Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see […] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 9:10:
   • 1773, Samuel Johnson, letter to James Boswell dated 5 July, 1773, in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, Volume I, London: Charles Dilly, p. 424, When your letter came to me, I was so darkened by an inflammation in my eye, that I could not for some time read it.
   • Such clouds of nameless trouble cross ⁠All night below the darken’d eyes; ⁠With morning wakes the will, and cries, ‘Thou shalt not be the fool of loss.’ 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto IV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
9. (intransitive) To be blinded, lose one’s eyesight.
10. (transitive) To cloud, obscure, or perplex; to render less clear or intelligible.
    • “Darken not counsel,” said Corund, “to me and my sons. Have I not these four years past been as a brother unto thee, and wilt thou still be secret toward us?” 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 18:
    • Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 38:2:
    • His [Edmund Spenser’s] stile was in his own time allowed to be vicious, so darkened with old words and peculiarities of phrase, and so remote from common use, that Johnson boldly pronounces him to have written no language. May 14 1751, Samuel Johnson, The Rambler, volume 4, number 121, London: J. Payne & J. Bouquet, page 193:
    • […] such was his wisdome, as his Confidence did seldome darken his Fore-sight […] 1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC:
11. (transitive) To make foul; to sully; to tarnish.
    • I must not think there are Evils enow to darken all his goodness: c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
12. (intransitive) To be extinguished or deprived of vitality, to die.
    • The Danube to the Severn gave ⁠The darken’d heart that beat no more; ⁠They laid him by the pleasant shore, And in the hearing of the wave. 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XIX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 32:

Forms

Deriveds

overdarken · darken down · endarken · darken someone's doorway · redarken · darken someone's doorstep · darken a church door · darken up · darken someone's door · bedarken · darkener

Relateds

dark

Synonyms

spot · smirch · soil · exit · lose the number of one's mess · go the way of the dodo · give up the ghost · beclart · regret · sorrow · close one's eyes for the last time · endark · engrieve · bleed · file · kick the bucket · pay the debt of nature · attrist · sully · stain · besorrow · unhappy · imbrue (especially with blood) · bewray · engrieve · befoul · bedaub · hop the twig · code · assoil · beshit · ungladden · pass in one's marble · mirken · pass · beray · expire · rue · blinden · dispirit · soil · besorrow · fall off the twig · smut · dash · draw one's last breath · repent · bedark · grieve · blot · pass away · bedirty · depress · succumb · pass on · yearn · go out · pass the river · fog · contaminate · condole · darkle · erme · be called home · go the way of the dodo bird · go the way of all flesh · peg out · sullow · darken · grieve · knock off · soss · flatline · liquidate · sleep with one's fathers · oppress · cross over · cark it · go west · cross the Styx · pass away · defile · begrime · gunk up · beblind · meet one's maker · bedim · mourn · pass in one's checks · befoul · dusk · yield up the ghost · dirty · bring down · sigh · pain · assume room temperature · gunk · perish · get down · cross the Great Divide · dispirit · moan · contristate · be like the the One · conk out · smear · bedizen · auger in · be gathered to one's fathers · repent · grieven · befilth · foul · buy it · turn up one's toes · sadden · sink · take a dirt nap · swarten · bite the dust · hand in one's dinner pail · pop one's clogs · sowl · cash in · blacken · come down on · be with Jesus · remorse · be no more · go over to the majority · expire · kick off · grieven · aggrieve · upset · becloud · aggrieve · tristitiate · push up daisies · meet one's end · besmear · elt · bring down · darken · dematerialize · blur · blacken · inquinate · be with the Lord · buy the farm · yearn · darken · smudge · pay nature's debt · sadden up · depart · dirten · lament · scunge · bite the biscuit · mourn · exoculate · disincarnate · forset · check out · cross the Styx · go the way of the dinosaurs · inblind · darken · swarten · moan · besully · deject · smutch · besmirch · begloom · rue · clat · join the choir invisible · foil · begrieve · go to one's reward · decease · decompose · forfare · give one's all · bedarken · denigrate · uggle · befile · hand in one's checks · pop off · blacken · go to glory · cash in one's chips · slip away · tarnish · desolate · begloom · shuffle off this mortal coil · sling mud · slur · snuff it · slotter · gloom · gloom · bite the big one · go for a burton · wayment · drop off the hooks · keel over · croak · meet one's doom · pass over

Translations (107)

eu goibeldu (to make dark(er) in colour) · es infuscar (to make dark by reducing light) · gl amourear (to become darker (less bright)) · gl abazanar (to make dark(er) in colour) · am ጨለመ (to become darker (less bright)) · az qaraltmaq (to make dark(er) in colour) · grc ἀμαυρόω (to make dark by reducing light) · pl zaciemniać (to make dark by reducing light) · is dökkna (to become dark(er) in colour) · az qaranlıqlaşdırmaq (to make dark by reducing light) · gl abazanar (to become darker (less bright)) · gl escurentar (to become darker (less bright)) · ru темне́ть (to become dark(er) in colour) · az toralmaq (to become darker (less bright)) · it imbrunire (to make dark(er) in colour) · nl donkerder worden (to become dark(er) in colour) · ro întuneca (to make dark by reducing light) · gl enfoscar (to make dark by reducing light) · sq ngrys (to become darker (less bright)) · gl amourear (to become dark(er) in colour) · got 𐍂𐌹𐌵𐌹𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to become darker (less bright)) · it imbrunire (to make dark by reducing light) · gl toldar (to become darker (less bright)) · fkv pimmenttäät (to make dark by reducing light) · gl escurentar (to make dark by reducing light) · bg потъмнявам (to become dark(er) in colour) · rgn imbrunìr (to become dark(er) in colour) · fr assombrir (to make dark by reducing light) · az qaralmaq (to become darker (less bright)) · la nigresco (to become dark(er) in colour) · hy մթնել (to become darker (less bright)) · nn formørke (to make dark by reducing light) · nl donkerder kleuren (to make dark(er) in colour) · de verdunkeln (to become dark(er) in colour) · eo malheliĝi (to become darker (less bright)) · gl escurecer (to make dark(er) in colour) · sq ngrys (to become dark(er) in colour) · fr foncer (to become dark(er) in colour) · gl enmourecer (to become dark(er) in colour) · fr foncer (to make dark(er) in colour) · nl verduisteren (to make dark by reducing light) · de verdunkeln (to become darker (less bright)) · gl entoldar (to become darker (less bright)) · gl enfoscar (to become darker (less bright)) · eu goibeldu (to make dark by reducing light) · ko 어둡게 하다 (to make dark by reducing light) · rgn imbrunìr (to make dark by reducing light) · rgn imbrunìr (to make dark(er) in colour) · is dekkja (to make dark(er) in colour) · pl ściemnieć (to become darker (less bright)) · gl lobrecer (to become darker (less bright)) · gl atrapecer (to make dark(er) in colour) · ru затемнять (to make dark(er) in colour) · pl ciemnieć (to become darker (less bright)) · sv mörkna (to become dark(er) in colour) · es obscurecer (to make dark by reducing light) · am ጨለመ (to become dark(er) in colour) · no formørke (to make dark by reducing light) · gl enfoscar (to become dark(er) in colour) · fr obscurcir (to make dark by reducing light) · gl amourear (to make dark by reducing light) · fi pimentyä (to become darker (less bright)) · mi whakauriuri (to make dark(er) in colour) · sq ngrys (to make dark(er) in colour) · grc ἀμαυρόομαι (to become darker (less bright)) · es oscurecer (to make dark by reducing light) · hy մգացնել (to make dark(er) in colour) · fr obscurcir (to become darker (less bright)) · fi tummentaa (to make dark(er) in colour) · bg затъмнявам (to make dark by reducing light) · sq ngrys (to make dark by reducing light) · eo mallumiĝi (to become darker (less bright)) · ang nīpan (to become darker (less bright)) · gl lobrecer (to make dark by reducing light) · fi pimentää (to make dark by reducing light) · nl donkerder maken (to make dark(er) in colour) · it imbrunire (to become darker (less bright)) · gl escurecer (to become darker (less bright)) · nl verdonkeren (to make dark by reducing light) · gl enmourecer (to make dark(er) in colour) · gl abazanar (to make dark by reducing light) · rgn imbrunìr (to become darker (less bright)) · gl escurecer (to become dark(er) in colour) · gl enfoscar (to make dark(er) in colour) · nl donker worden (to become darker (less bright)) · gl escurecer (to make dark by reducing light) · apw chaanaguayea galea (to make dark by reducing light) · bg потъмнявам (to become darker (less bright)) · sv förmörka (to make dark by reducing light) · ru затемнять (to make dark by reducing light) · it imbrunire (to become dark(er) in colour) · ru темне́ть (to become darker (less bright)) · hy մթնեցնել (to make dark by reducing light) · sq err (to make dark by reducing light) · mi whakapō (to make dark by reducing light) · gl amourear (to make dark(er) in colour) · fr assombrir (to become darker (less bright)) · gl atrapecer (to become dark(er) in colour) · gl abazanar (to become dark(er) in colour) · fi tummentua (to become dark(er) in colour) · mi whakauriuri (to make dark by reducing light) · sv mörkna (to become darker (less bright)) · qu arphayay (to become darker (less bright)) · cmn 变暗 (to make dark by reducing light) · gl entoucar (to become darker (less bright)) · hy մգանալ (to become dark(er) in colour) · da formørke (to make dark by reducing light)