Darken Meaning
/ˈdɑɹkən/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo make dark or darker by reducing light.
verbTo become dark or darker (having less light).
Sentence Examples
The sky suddenly began to darken.
Don't you ever darken my door again!
The jealousy is starting to darken Tom's mind.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Use heavy curtains to ____ the room for a better sleep.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sky suddenly began to ____.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[…] 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:
"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:
"[…] 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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Use heavy curtains to ____ the room for a better sleep.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sky suddenly began to ____.