dark (adj.) Copy link Outline I. Lit.1. obscūrus (the most gen. term; applicable to all degrees of darkness)2. cālīgĭnōsus (stronger than obscurus)3. ŏpācus (opp. to apricus)4. tĕnebrōsus (poet.)5. caecus (strictly blind; but also used of external conditions preventing sight6. āter, nĭgerII. Of colours1. pullus (very often of that which is soiled and dirty; but not exclusively so)2. fuscus (of any dark hue)3. nĭger, āter (stronger than the Eng.)4. caerŭleus, caerŭlus (strictly dark blue, azure, the colour of sea-water; but also applied to any dark objectIII. Fig.1. obscūrus2. ambĭguusIV. Also fig.1. tĕnebrĭcōsus2. atrox, ōcis • dark (adj.): I. Lit.: void of light: 1. obscūrus (the most gen. term; applicable to all degrees of darkness): a d. night, nox ob., Sall.: Virg.: d. shade, umbra ob., Virg.: d. gloom (of the sun), ob. ferrugo, id.: a d. cave, ob. antrum, Ov.: when it was now d., ob. jam luce, Liv.: v. dim, obscure. 2. cālīgĭnōsus (stronger than obscurus): atmosphere damp and d., coelum humidum et c., Cic.: Hor. 3. ŏpācus (opp. to apricus): v. shady. 4. tĕnebrōsus (poet.): d. (murky) air, aër t., Virg.: Lucan. (The forms tenebricosus and tenebricus also occur: the former in fig. sense [v. infr.] the latter poet. and rare.) 5. caecus (strictly blind; but also used of external conditions preventing sight: poet.): Lucr.: Virg. 6. āter, nĭger: v. gloomy. Phr.: it suddenly grows d. (in an eclipse), repentinae obducuntur tenebrae, Plin.: when it had grown d., tenebris obortis, Nep.: it grows d. (of evening), vesperascit, Ter. (tenebresco is without good authority: Aug.: Hier.): the eyes become d. (incapable of sight), caligant oculi, Lucr.: a d. lantern, *laterna furtiva: (R. and A.) II. Of colours: 1. pullus (very often of that which is soiled and dirty; but not exclusively so): d. hue of wool, color lanae p., Col.: the d.-hued myrtle, myrtus p., Hor.: the upper part of a hare is d., the belly white, lepus superiore parte p., ventre albo, Varr. 2. fuscus (of any dark hue): black or d. cattle, nigra aut f. pecora, Plin.: d. purple, purpura f., Cic.: Virg.: v. dusky. (Furvus is a poet. form of fuscus, Hor.) 3. nĭger, āter (stronger than the Eng.): v. black, swarthy. 4. caerŭleus, caerŭlus (strictly dark blue, azure, the colour of sea-water; but also applied to any dark object: poet.): the d.-hued horses (of Pluto), caerulei equi, Ov.: d.-hued fillets, caeruleae vittae, Virg. See also darkish. III. Fig.: unintelligible: 1. obscūrus: Lucr.: Cic.: v. obscure. Join: obscurus atque caecus, Cic. 2. ambĭguus: v. ambiguous. Phr.: d. sayings, ambāges, um, f. (in sing. the abl. only occurs). esp. of the oracles: Virg.: Ov.: d. sayings of the law, legum aenigmata, Juv.: Cic. IV. Also fig.: sad, gloomy: 1. tĕnebrĭcōsus: a very d. period, tenebricosissimum tempus, Cic.: v. gloomy. 2. atrox, ōcis: stern, unrelenting: q. v. See also foll. art.
dark (subs.) Copy link • dark (subs.): chiefly with prep., as in phr. after dark, in the dark: the former best expr. by (de) nocte: v. night (by): in the d., *per obscurum [locum]; sine lumine. Fig.: to be in the d., i. e. ignorant, cālīgare, Plin.: Sen.: I am in the d. about those matters, mihi tenebrae ista sunt, Cic.: it was not done in the d., nec clam illud occulteque factum est, Plin.: my evil deeds are now discovered, which I hoped would be kept in the d., mea nunc facinora aperiuntur, clam quae speravi fore, Pl.: I am quite in the d., prorsus non intelligo, clam me est, Pl.: Ter.
DARK Copy link • DARKVoid of light, obscurus (dark, obscure; not sufficiently illuminated; opposed to illustris): tenebricosus (veiled in darkness; especially of shameful things and places; libidines; popina; tempus ineuntis aetatis): caliginosus (quite without light; tenebricosus stronger than obscurus; caliginosus than tenebricosus): ☞ tenebricus [very rare], and tenebrosus, are poetical words. caecus (when it is impossible to see; e.g., night, a house): opacus (shady; with reference to pleasant coolness; opposed to apertus, apricus, like εὔσκιος): umbrosus (stronger than opacus, with an approximation to darkness; = σκιόεις): nubilus (cloudy; of a day, etc): somewhat dark, subobscurus: subnubilus (from clouds): a dark night, nox obscura (in which the sky is cloudy): nox caliginosa (a very dark night): nox caeca or obducta (in which one can’t see two steps before one): it is dark, tenebrae sunt: it grows dark, tenebrae oboriuntur; caligo offunditur; vesperascit; advesperascit: when it was already dark, jam obscura luce; tenebris obortis: when it was, or it being, still dark, obscuro etiam tum lumine: when it was just beginning to grow dark, primis se intendentibus tenebris; primo vespere; prima nocte: to make anything dark, obscurum facere, obscurare (both; e.g., of a room, cubiculum, conclave); alicui rei lucem eripere (to deprive it of light): a dark lantern, *laterna furtiva or surda: to see as it were, in the dark, quasi per caliginem cernere (obscurely; Cic., Fin., 5, 15, 43). Difficult to understand, obscurus; caecus; involutus (obscure, dark): non apertus ad intelligendum (not clear): abstrusus (e.g., insidiae, disputatio): perplexus: impeditus: incertus, etc. Somewhat dark, subobscurus: to make anything dark, alicui rei obscuritatem et tenebras afferre; tenebras obducere; lucem eripere et quasi noctem quandam alicui rei offundere (Cic., N.D., 1, 3, 6): to make a speech dark, orationem occaecare: to be so dark as to be unintelligible, in tenebris latere: obscuritate involutum latere: to be as dark as possible, crassis occultatum et circumfusum tenebris latere; omni intellectu carere. With reference to color, fuscus (dark-brown, opposed to candidus): austerus (= nigricans; opposed to to a gay color): niger (opposed to albus): pullus (of a dirty black; e.g., like the wool of a black sheep): ravus (of a yellowish grey): to be somewhat dark, nigricare (of a color): colore nigricare (of a stuff, etc.): dARK, DARKNESS, obscuritas; obscurum: tenebrae (opposed to lux): caligo (complete darkness). [SYN. of adjectives under DARK.] To strengthen the notion, (The words are found in this connection and order.) obscuritas et tenebrae; tenebrae et caligo; caligo et tenebrae: darkness of the sky, caelum caliginosum. Abstruseness, etc., of a subject, obscuritas. Want of knowledge [Vid: IGNORANCE]. In that state of darkness and uncertainty, in ea obscuritate et dubitatione: anything about which we are in the dark, res obscura, occulta, involuta, occulta et quasi involuta. To be in the dark about anything, ignorare aliquid (once de aliquo, Cic., ignorat etiam de filio, Att., 8, 14, 3). We are still in the dark about anything, aliqua res nondum ad liquidum perducta or explorata est: to be involved in darkness, obscuritate involutum jacere: to dispel d. from the mind as from the eyes, caliginem ab animo tanquam ab oculis dispellere. T he prince of darkness; Vid: DEVIL DARKEN, obscurare: tenebras offundere, or obducere alicui rei, or alicui (to wrap in darkness, so that it can no longer be seen in a clear light; PROP., and figuratively): noctem offundere alicui rei (PROP.): denigrare (to make black; rare, Varr., lanam, capillum, Plin.): colorare (to darken the complexion, etc.) [☞ inficere, poetically; as inficere diem, Ov.]: anybody’s eyes are darkened, oculi caligant; tenebrae oboriuntur; tenebrae mihi sunt; caligo oculis offunditur: anybody’s “joy is darkened,” oculi alicujus tristitiae quoddam nubilum ducunt (Quint. 11, 3, 75). It is natural that my walking in the sun should darken my complexion, cum in sole ambulem, natura fit, ut colorer (Cic.): no forgetfulness shall darken the remembrance of you, tuam memoriam nulla oblivio obscurabit: to darken a subject, alicui rei obscuritatem et tenebras afferre or tenebras obducere; lucem eripere et quasi noctem quandam alicui rei offundere (Cic.): to darken anybody’s doors (colloquial), alicujus limen intrare or transire: not to let anybody darken one’s doors, prohibere aliquem limine tectoque.