13 PHRASE If you do something after dark , you do it when the sun has set and night has begun. □ They avoid going out alone after dark.
14 PHRASE If you do something before dark , you do it before the sun sets and night begins. □ They'll be back well before dark.
15 PHRASE If you are in the dark about something, you do not know anything about it. □ [+ about ] The investigators admit that they are completely in the dark about the killing.
16 PHRASE If you describe something someone says or does as a shot in the dark or a stab in the dark , you mean they are guessing that what they say is correct or that what they do will be successful. □ Every single one of those inspired guesses had been shots in the dark.
da rk age (dark ages ) also Dark Age
1 N‑COUNT If you refer to a period in the history of a society as a dark age , you think that it is characterized by a lack of knowledge and progress. [WRITTEN , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The Education Secretary accuses teachers of wanting to return to a dark age.
2 N‑PROPER The Dark Ages are the period of European history between about 500 A.D. and about 1000 A.D.
dark|en /dɑː r kən/ (darkens , darkening , darkened )
1 VERB If something darkens or if a person or thing darkens it, it becomes darker. □ [V ] The sky darkened abruptly. □ [V n] She had put on her make-up and darkened her eyelashes.
2 VERB If someone's mood darkens or if something darkens their mood, they suddenly become rather unhappy. [LITERARY ] □ [V ] My sunny mood suddenly darkened. □ [V n] Nothing was going to darken his mood today.
3 VERB If someone's face darkens , they suddenly look angry. [LITERARY ] □ [V ] Rawley's face darkened again.
dark|ened /dɑː r kənd/ ADJ [ADJ n] A darkened building or room has no lights on inside it. □ He drove past darkened houses.
da rk gla sses N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Dark glasses are glasses which have dark-coloured lenses to protect your eyes in the sunshine.
da rk ho rse (dark horses ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a dark horse , you mean that people know very little about them, although they may have recently had success or may be about to have success.
da rk ma t|ter N‑UNCOUNT Dark matter is material that is believed to form a large part of the universe, but which has never been seen.
dark|room /dɑː r kruːm/ (darkrooms ) N‑COUNT A darkroom is a room which can be sealed off from natural light and is lit only by red light. It is used for developing photographs.
dar|ling /dɑː r l I ŋ/ (darlings )
1 N‑COUNT You call someone darling if you love them or like them very much. [FEELINGS ] □ Thank you, darling.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Some people use darling to describe someone or something that they love or like very much. [INFORMAL ] □ To have a darling baby boy was the greatest gift I could imagine.
3 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a darling , you are fond of them and think that they are nice. [INFORMAL ] □ He's such a darling.
4 N‑COUNT [with poss] The darling of a group of people is someone who is especially liked by that group. □ Rajneesh was the darling of a prosperous family.
darn /dɑː r n/ (darns , darning , darned )
1 VERB If you darn something knitted or made of cloth, you mend a hole in it by sewing stitches across the hole and then weaving stitches in and out of them. □ [V n] Aunt Emilie darned old socks. ● darn|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …chores such as sewing and darning.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] People sometimes use darn or darned to emphasize what they are saying, often when they are annoyed. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ There's not a darn thing he can do about it. ● ADV [ADV adj/adv] Darn is also an adverb. □ …the desire to be free to do just as we darn well please.
3 PHRASE You can say I'll be darned to show that you are very surprised about something. [AM , INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ 'A talking horse!' he exclaimed. 'Well, I'll be darned.'
dart /dɑː r t/ (darts , darting , darted )
1 VERB If a person or animal darts somewhere, they move there suddenly and quickly. [WRITTEN ] □ [V prep/adv] Ingrid darted across the deserted street.
2 VERB If you dart a look at someone or something, or if your eyes dart to them, you look at them very quickly. [LITERARY ] □ [V n + at ] She darted a sly sideways glance at Bramwell. □ [V prep/adv] The conductor's eyes darted to Wilfred, then fixed on Michael again.
3 N‑COUNT A dart is a small, narrow object with a sharp point which can be thrown or shot. □ Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Darts is a game in which you throw darts at a round board which has numbers on it.
dart|board /dɑː r tbɔː r d/ (dartboards ) N‑COUNT A dartboard is a circular board with numbers on it which is used as the target in a game of darts.
dash /dæ ʃ/ (dashes , dashing , dashed )
1 VERB If you dash somewhere, you run or go there quickly and suddenly. □ [V adv/prep] Suddenly she dashed down to the cellar. ● N‑SING Dash is also a noun. □ …a 160-mile dash to hospital.
2 VERB [no cont] If you say that you have to dash , you mean that you are in a hurry and have to leave immediately. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] Oh, Tim! I'm sorry but I have to dash.