darkishadj.
/ˈdɑːkɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈdɑrkɪʃ/ 1. Somewhat dark in shade or colour.In quot. ?c1425 perhaps: of a rather unhealthy or sallow colour (cf. dark adj. 5a).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > state or mode of having colour > [adjective] > dark-coloured
darkeOE
blackeOE
browna1000
swartOE
wanOE
murka1325
darkish?c1425
duska1450
dusketly1486
sad?1504
duskish1530
base1539
dusky1558
swarthy1577
darksome1598
smutty1648
subfusc?1705
infuscated1727
murky1759
subfuscous1762
sable1791
sombrous1799
obfuscous1822
sombre1829
wine-dark1855
murkish1869
?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Paris) (1971) 382 (MED) Þe leche..schal consider þe colour of all þe body, if it be derkisshe and ful of morphe.
a1552 J. Leland Itinerary (1711) IV. 97 The..Colour..is of a darkish deepe redde.
1681 R. Knox Hist. Relation Ceylon i. vi. 25 Monkeys... Some so large as our English Spaniel Dogs, of a darkish gray colour, and black faces.
1775 J. Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 6 Their hair is lank, coarse, and darkish.
1881 C. A. Young Sun 197 A scarlet ribbon, with a darkish band across it.
1998 BBC Vegetarian Good Food Nov. 57/2 A mild chilli, about 15 cm in length, with a darkish green shiny skin that turns red when very ripe.
2. Somewhat lacking in light; fairly dim or dull.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > [adjective] > somewhat dark
murka1300
darksome1530
darkish1559
half-dark1576
darkly1821
1559 T. Sackville in W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Induct. ii The dayes more darkishe are.
1660 S. Pepys Diary 24 Feb. (1970) I. 67 We drank pretty hard..till it begin to be darkish.
1777 J. Howard State of Prisons (1780) 178 The passages are narrow..and darkish.
1858 T. P. Thompson Audi Alteram Partem (1859) II. lxxvi. 29 A state of darkish twilight.
1973 J. Gardam Summer after Funeral (1977) xii. 82 It was snowing when we arrived and darkish, but even so you could see it wasn't a very happy place at any time.
1999 M. Sawyer Park & Ride (2000) vi. 118 Peruvia was in a room that was long and low and darkish, so you couldn't see all the way to the back.
3. Of comedy, humour, creative works, etc.: somewhat dark in style or content (see dark adj. 7d).
ΚΠ
1932 Aberdeen Press & Jrnl. 1 June (2nd ed.) 2/4 Remember Masefield's ‘Pompey the Great’ and ‘Now’—nothing except some darkish humour to relieve the charnel house gloom.
1963 Daily Tel. 20 Dec. 7/5 The author of ‘The Little Hut’ this time attempts a darkish comedy for Elvire Popesco.
1992 Times Lit. Suppl. 28 Feb. 24/1 Maureen Freely's third novel, a darkish satire, takes place mainly in San Francisco during the late Reagan era.
1997 Neon Sept. 97/1 The gorgeous Lodato turns this darkish, genuinely comic tale into a full-on tragic love story.
Derivatives
ˈdarkishness n. a darkish state, condition, or quality.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > [noun]
thesternessc888
thesterc897
murkOE
theosterleykc1000
darkc1300
darkheadc1300
murknessa1325
therknessa1325
darknessc1350
tenebres1413
tenebrousa1450
obscurity1481
tenebrosity1490
obscureness1509
dern?a1513
sable?a1513
darksomeness1571
fuliginousness1576
darkishness1583
murksomeness1625
obscure1667
soot1789
tenebrity1789
nightness1839
raylessness1843
lightlessness1845
darkling1882
unlight1883
society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > inspiration or revelation > [noun] > lack of
blindness971
darkness?c1425
darkishness1583
benightment1651
1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie xc. 556/2 God held them in darkishnes, giuing them but a small tast of his grace.
1778 J. F. Fritsch tr. G. de Lairesse Art of Painting xxii. 191 This [light] has not power enough to..give any colour: so that by the darkishness the objects, whether portraits, figures, flowers, &c. retain their natural colours intirely.
1988 P. Anderson & K. Anderson Dog & Wolf xi. 222 They entered the cabin. Its darkishness embraced them.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021).
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adj.?c1425