dawn
/dɔːn/ (bre, ipa) · /dɔːn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdȯn ˈdän/ (ame, mw) · /dɑːn/ (ame, ipa)
dawn — noun
- dawnsingular
- dawnsplural
1. the time each morning when the sun's light first becomes visible in the sky, mar
the time each morning when the sun's light first becomes visible in the sky, marking the start of a new day
Mei-Lin was already awake and watching the sky when dawn began.
The photographers arrived before dawn to capture the sunrise over the valley.
collocation: before dawn
Dawn broke over the desert, and the camp slowly came to life.
At dawn, the village market fills with farmers selling fresh vegetables.
The rescue team set out at dawn to search for the missing hikers.
- daybreak
less common in everyday speech; slightly more literary
- sunrise
focuses on the sun appearing above the horizon rather than the first light
- first light
used especially in military or outdoor contexts to mean the earliest visible light
用法筆記
Often paired with 'break' in the phrase 'dawn breaks/broke' to describe the moment light first appears. Also common in 'at dawn', 'before dawn', and 'by dawn'.
常見錯誤
2. the starting point of a significant new period in history, technology, culture,
the starting point of a significant new period in history, technology, culture, or human experience
The invention of the printing press marked the dawn of a new age in learning.
pattern: the dawn of [era/age/period]
Many historians see the Industrial Revolution as the dawn of the modern world.
The peace agreement signaled the dawn of hope for millions of people in the region.
Keiko often thinks about the dawn of life on Earth and how it first began.
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'of' + a noun phrase referring to a large historical or conceptual period ('dawn of an era', 'dawn of civilisation'). Typically used in formal, literary, or academic writing. Does not refer to small personal beginnings.
常見錯誤
3. used in the fixed expression 'from dawn to dusk' (or 'from dawn until dusk') to
used in the fixed expression 'from dawn to dusk' (or 'from dawn until dusk') to describe an activity that continues throughout the entire daylight period
During the harvest, the farmers worked from dawn to dusk every day.
fixed phrase: from dawn to dusk
The construction crew labored from dawn until dusk to finish the bridge on time.
During the summer festival, music filled the streets from dawn to dusk.
Javier studied from dawn to dusk for his final medical exams.
The volunteers cleaned the beach from dawn until dusk over the weekend.
- from sunrise to sunset
more literal; used when the actual sun position is relevant
- all day long
less precise; can include evening hours beyond daylight
用法筆記
This sense is not a productive independent meaning of 'dawn'. It exists only within the fixed two-part expression 'from dawn to/until dusk'. The phrase cannot be shortened or reordered.
dawn — verb
- dawnpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dawns3rd person singular
- dawning-ing form
- dawnedpast simple
1. when a day, morning, season, or significant new period begins to arrive or start
when a day, morning, season, or significant new period begins to arrive or start
The day dawned bright and clear, perfect for the beach trip.
pattern: day dawned + [weather adjective]
A new era of space exploration dawned when the rocket lifted off.
The morning of the wedding dawned with a light drizzle across the garden.
As the digital age dawned, libraries began storing books on computers.
Winter dawned cold that year, with heavy snow arriving in early November.
文法句型
dawn (intransitive) — day/era/morning + dawns
用法筆記
The subject is always a day, morning, season, or abstract period — never a person. Common in literary and descriptive writing. Often paired with a weather or mood adjective after the verb: 'the day dawned clear/cold/wet'.
常見錯誤
2. for a fact or truth to gradually become clear or understood by someone who did n
for a fact or truth to gradually become clear or understood by someone who did not previously realise it
It dawned on Javier that he had left his keys inside the locked car.
pattern: it dawned on [person] + that-clause
Slowly, the truth dawned on the detective as she studied the evidence again.
It dawned on Aisha that her colleague had been taking credit for her work.
The full seriousness of the situation dawned on Suresh only later that evening.
As the lecture went on, it dawned on me that I had chosen the wrong course.
- become clear
more general; can be used without the 'on someone' structure
- sink in
informal; suggests a gradual emotional as well as intellectual realisation
- click
very informal; suggests a sudden moment of understanding
文法句型
dawn on/upon + person + that-clause
it dawns that...
用法筆記
The subject is the thing that becomes understood (truth, fact, realisation), while the person who understands is the object of 'on' or 'upon'. The most common structure is 'it dawns on/upon [someone] that...'. Cannot be used in the active transitive form (*'I dawned the truth').