darkness

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an unilluminated area

   They moved off into the darkness.

2. 2
   noun

   absence of moral or spiritual values

   the powers of darkness

3. 3
   noun

   The state of being dark; lack of light; the absolute or comparative absence of light.

   The darkness of the room made it difficult to see.

4. 4
   noun

   The state or quality of reflecting little light, of tending to a blackish or brownish color.

   The darkness of her skin betrayed her Mediterranean heritage.

5. 5
   noun

   Any space that such colour pervades.

   Out of the darkness came some flickers of light.

6. 6
   noun

   Lack of understanding or compassion; spiritual or mental blindness.

   And now, the prophecy. One will come, the voice from the outer world, bringing the holy war, the jihad, which will cleanse the universe and bring us out of darkness.

7. 7
   noun

   Lack of knowledge; obscurity or meaning or intelligibility; the unknown.

   It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness.

8. 8
   noun

   Nothingness, vanity, emptiness.

   My own dim life should teach me this, ⁠That life shall live for evermore, ⁠Else earth is darkness at the core, And dust and ashes all that is; […]

Etymology

From Middle English derknesse, from Old English deorcnes; equivalent to dark + -ness.