darksomeadj.

Brit.

/ˈdɑːks(ə)m/, U.S.

/ˈdɑrksəm/

Forms: see dark n. and -some suffix¹.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: dark n., -some suffix¹.

Etymology: < dark n. + -some suffix¹.

Now rare (poetic or archaic in later use).

1. Having little or no light; dark; gloomy. Sometimes in weakened sense: darkish; somewhat dark.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > [adjective] > somewhat dark

murka1300

darksome1530

darkish1559

half-dark1576

darkly1821

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 309/2 Darkesome, tenebreux.

1549–62 T. Sternhold & J. Hopkins Whole Bk. Psalms cxxxvi. 9 And Starres that doe appeare To guide the darksome night.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 973 By constraint Wandring this darksome desart.

1776 T. Pennant Tour Scotl. 1772: Pt. 2 37 On the right, is a deep and darksome chasm, water-worn for ages.

1849 M. Arnold Strayed Reveller, & Other Poems 39 Alone, and in a darksome place Under some mulberry trees I found A little pool.

1897 T. Dreiser in N. W. Barrineau Theodore Dreiser's Ev'ry Month (1996) 294 Lowly garment-cutters..hidden unseen in darksome sweatshops.

2014 Herald (Goa, India) (Nexis) 25 Dec. Some would..decorate a bamboo stick star with colourful tissue paper...It would stand on a long pole and illuminate the darksome nights of Christmas week with its wick lamp.

2. figurative.

a. Of a text, author, etc.: difficult to understand; obscure or unclear in meaning.In quot. 2014 influenced by sense 1.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [adjective]

higheOE

dighela1000

deepc1000

darkOE

starkOE

dusk?c1225

subtle1340

dimc1350

subtilea1393

covert1393

mystica1398

murka1400

cloudyc1400

hard?c1400

mistyc1400

unclearc1400

diffuse1430

abstractc1450

diffused?1456

exquisitec1460

obnubilous?a1475

obscure?a1475

covered1484

intricate?a1500

nice?a1500

perplexeda1500

difficilea1513

difficult1530

privy1532

smoky1533

secret1535

abstruse?1549

difficul1552

entangled1561

confounded1572

darksome1574

obnubilate1575

enigmatical1576

confuse1577

mysteriousa1586

Delphic1598

obfuscatea1600

enfumed1601

Delphicala1603

obstruse1604

abstracted1605

confused1611

questionable1611

inevident1614

recondite1619

cryptic1620

obfuscated1620

transcendent1624

Delphian1625

oraculous1625

enigmatic1628

recluse1629

abdite1635

undilucidated1635

clouded1641

benighted1647

oblite1650

researched1653

obnubilated1658

obscurative1664

tenebrose1677

hyperbyssal1691

condite1695

diffusive1709

profound1710

tenebricose1730

oracular1749

opaque1761

unenlightening1768

darkling1795

offuscating1798

unrecognizable1817

tough1820

abstrusive1848

obscurant1878

out-of-focus1891

unplumbable1895

inenubilable1903

non-transparent1939

society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > obscurity > [adjective]

darkOE

murka1400

cloudyc1400

mistyc1400

unclearc1400

obturate?a1425

obscure?a1439

unplain?c1535

obumbilatec1540

abstruse?1549

darksome1574

mysteriousa1586

obstruse1604

muddy1611

unperspicuous1634

clouded1641

imperspicuous1654

cramp1674

unlucid1711

abstract1725

opaque1761

obumbratory1799

darkling1813

sludgy1901

1574 A. Golding tr. A. Marlorat Catholike Expos. Reuelation f. 1^v To the Fathers of olde tyme, Daniels vision seemed moste darkesome.

1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §900 Paracelsus, and some darksome Authors of Magicke.

1838 C. Sumner Mem. & Lett. (1878) I. 379 The darksome notes and memoranda which he made on the margin of the volumes he read.

2014 Hist. of Present 4 110 Might there be something in those formless, darksome, indeterminate first verses of Genesis that could cause us to reconsider the givenness of a sovereign God?

b. Lacking moral or spiritual goodness; evil, wicked; iniquitous.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > evil and dark > [adjective]

swartOE

black1547

flasky1575

darksome1576

sable1726

society > morality > moral evil > [adjective] > evil or dark

swartOE

darkOE

black1547

flasky1575

darksome1576

pitchy1612

sable1726

1576 G. Gascoigne Droomme of Doomes Day iii. sig. L.j^v There is another vitious & darksome way, which is the way or lyfe of the reprobate.

1737 J. Ward Addr. Duke Devonshire 10 On his bright Acts, some darksome Deeds attend.

1845 New Monthly Belle Assemblée Nov. 265/2 Penury, that darksome foe To happiness and peace.

1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times IV. lxvii. 532 It may be that some rather darksome vices suddenly prove their existence in the character of the person whom Mr. Froude had chosen to illustrate the brightness and glory of human nature.

1999 C. L. Kell & L. R. Camp In Name of Father ix. 120 The battles..may be viewed as an attempt to purge the ‘isms’ of feminism, pluralism, or any form of liberalism as unwelcome darksome forces from Southern culture.

c. Devoid of happiness, pleasure, or hope; unhappy; cheerless; gloomy.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective] > gloomy or depressing

darkOE

unmerryOE

deathlyc1225

dolefulc1275

elengec1275

dreicha1300

coolc1350

cloudyc1374

sada1375

colda1400

deadlya1400

joylessc1400

unjoyful?c1400

disconsolatea1413

mournfula1425

funeralc1425

uncheerfulc1449

dolent1489

dolesome1533

heavy-hearted1555

glum1558

ungladsome1558

black1562

pleasureless1567

dern1570

plaintive?1570

glummish1573

cheerless1575

comfortless1576

wintry1579

glummy1580

funebral1581

discouraging1584

dernful?1591

murk1596

recomfortless1596

sullen1597

amating1600

lugubrious1601

dusky1602

sable1603

funebrial1604

damping1607

mortifying1611

tearful?1611

uncouth1611

dulsome1613

luctual1613

dismal1617

winterous1617

unked1620

mopish1621

godforsaken?1623

uncheerly1627

funebrious1630

lugubrous1632

drearisome1633

unheartsome1637

feral1641

drear1645

darksome1649

sadding1649

saddening1650

disheartening1654

funebrous1654

luctiferous1656

mestifical1656

tristifical1656

sooty1657

dreary1667

tenebrose1677

clouded1682

tragicala1700

funereal1707

gloomy1710

sepulchrala1711

dumpishc1717

bleaka1719

depressive1727

lugubre1727

muzzy1728

dispiriting1733

uncheery1760

unconsolatory1760

unjolly1764

Decemberly1765

sombre1768

uncouthie1768

depressing1772

unmirthful1782

sombrous1789

disanimating1791

Decemberish1793

grey1794

uncheering1796

ungenial1796

uncomforting1798

disencouraginga1806

stern1812

chilling1815

uncheered1817

dejecting1818

mopey1821

desponding1828

wisht1829

leadening1835

unsportful1837

demoralizing1840

Novemberish1840

frigid1844

morne1844

tragic1848

wet-blanketty1848

morgue1850

ungladdeneda1851

adusk1856

smileless1858

soul-sick1858

Novemberya1864

saturnine1863

down1873

lacklustre1883

Heaven-abandoneda1907

downbeat1952

doomy1967

1649 F. Roberts Clavis Bibliorum (ed. 2) Introd. to Rdr. ii. 24 All my darksome doubtings fled away.

1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth IV. 109 It is a darksom Passion.

1824 T. Hood Two Swans in New Monthly Mag. 10 146 In darksome fears They weep and pine away.

1828 T. Carlyle Burns in Edinb. Rev. Dec. 271 His darksome drudging childhood and youth.

1912 Little Folks Mar. 304/1 Another silence followed, and to me it was a dreadful one of darksome thoughts, without a speck of hope to brighten them.

2000 Toronto Star (Nexis) 16 Jan. [Her book] is a powerful tribute to the Polish spirit in those darksome times.

3. Dark or darkish in shade or colour.

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

1598 F. Rous Thule ii. sig. M^v The Moone downe wept a dewy dropping raine,..Her darksome steedes she would haue setled faine, And made black night aboue remaining still.

1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey 73 He hath a little haire on his vpper lip..of a darksom color.

1815 W. Wordsworth White Doe of Rylstone iv. 68 With pine and cedar spreading wide Their darksome boughs on either side.

1876 Appletons' Jrnl. 19 Feb. 237/1 He had a glimpse of a shapely corset, a gleaming white arm, and a tress of darksome hair.

2009 Prairie Schooner 83 21 The darksome trees dilate to blackness.

Derivatives

ˈdarksomeness n. darkness (in various senses); obscurity.

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

the world > matter > colour > quality of colour > [noun] > shade or tone > darkness

swartnessa1100

darknessa1398

sable?a1513

swarthness?1527

darksomeness1571

swarthiness1577

swartha1661

the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [noun]

deepnessa1000

subtletya1387

difficultyc1405

mistiheadc1425

darknessc1450

obscurity1474

profoundnessc1475

obscureness1509

profundity1559

perplexity1563

opacity1575

darksomeness1583

perplexednessa1586

deptha1593

spinosity1605

abstruseness1628

abstrusity1649

inevidence1673

enigmaticalness1684

dark1699

indistinctness1704

confusion1729

reconditeness1779

obfuscity1832

oracularity1840

irrecognizability1847

recondity1856

unrecognizableness1865

crypticity1892

1571 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Psalmes of Dauid with Comm. (xviii. 11) i. f. 58 Hee made darkenesse his secret place, round about him was his tent, darksomnesse of water and the clowds of Heauen.

1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie xlii. 248/1 Gods trueth..is easie & open ynough: and therefore let vs not charge it with darksomnesse.

a1643 W. Monson Naval Tracts v, in A. Churchill & J. Churchill Coll. Voy. (1704) III. 495/2 The Darksomness of the Night.

1893 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Dec. 84/2 All of a suddenty a light fell on the furder eend o' the foot-bredge..mighty white an' misty in the darksomeness.

1906 Biblical World 28 88 The early poets witnessed the changes that come over the face of Nature, the march of the seasons, the brightness or darksomeness of the sky.

1980 S. Noffke tr. Catherine of Siena Dialogue 221 By this very light I would have you know more deeply the sinful darksomeness of those other ministers of mine.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	darksome
释义	darksomeadj. Brit. /ˈdɑːks(ə)m/, U.S. /ˈdɑrksəm/ Forms: see dark n. and -some suffix¹. Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: dark n., -some suffix¹. Etymology: < dark n. + -some suffix¹. Now rare (poetic or archaic in later use). 1. Having little or no light; dark; gloomy. Sometimes in weakened sense: darkish; somewhat dark. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > [adjective] > somewhat dark murka1300 darksome1530 darkish1559 half-dark1576 darkly1821 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 309/2 Darkesome, tenebreux. 1549–62 T. Sternhold & J. Hopkins Whole Bk. Psalms cxxxvi. 9 And Starres that doe appeare To guide the darksome night. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 973 By constraint Wandring this darksome desart. View more context for this quotation 1776 T. Pennant Tour Scotl. 1772: Pt. 2 37 On the right, is a deep and darksome chasm, water-worn for ages. 1849 M. Arnold Strayed Reveller, & Other Poems 39 Alone, and in a darksome place Under some mulberry trees I found A little pool. 1897 T. Dreiser in N. W. Barrineau Theodore Dreiser's Ev'ry Month (1996) 294 Lowly garment-cutters..hidden unseen in darksome sweatshops. 2014 Herald (Goa, India) (Nexis) 25 Dec. Some would..decorate a bamboo stick star with colourful tissue paper...It would stand on a long pole and illuminate the darksome nights of Christmas week with its wick lamp. 2. figurative. a. Of a text, author, etc.: difficult to understand; obscure or unclear in meaning.In quot. 2014 influenced by sense 1. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [adjective] higheOE dighela1000 deepc1000 darkOE starkOE dusk?c1225 subtle1340 dimc1350 subtilea1393 covert1393 mystica1398 murka1400 cloudyc1400 hard?c1400 mistyc1400 unclearc1400 diffuse1430 abstractc1450 diffused?1456 exquisitec1460 obnubilous?a1475 obscure?a1475 covered1484 intricate?a1500 nice?a1500 perplexeda1500 difficilea1513 difficult1530 privy1532 smoky1533 secret1535 abstruse?1549 difficul1552 entangled1561 confounded1572 darksome1574 obnubilate1575 enigmatical1576 confuse1577 mysteriousa1586 Delphic1598 obfuscatea1600 enfumed1601 Delphicala1603 obstruse1604 abstracted1605 confused1611 questionable1611 inevident1614 recondite1619 cryptic1620 obfuscated1620 transcendent1624 Delphian1625 oraculous1625 enigmatic1628 recluse1629 abdite1635 undilucidated1635 clouded1641 benighted1647 oblite1650 researched1653 obnubilated1658 obscurative1664 tenebrose1677 hyperbyssal1691 condite1695 diffusive1709 profound1710 tenebricose1730 oracular1749 opaque1761 unenlightening1768 darkling1795 offuscating1798 unrecognizable1817 tough1820 abstrusive1848 obscurant1878 out-of-focus1891 unplumbable1895 inenubilable1903 non-transparent1939 society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > obscurity > [adjective] darkOE murka1400 cloudyc1400 mistyc1400 unclearc1400 obturate?a1425 obscure?a1439 unplain?c1535 obumbilatec1540 abstruse?1549 darksome1574 mysteriousa1586 obstruse1604 muddy1611 unperspicuous1634 clouded1641 imperspicuous1654 cramp1674 unlucid1711 abstract1725 opaque1761 obumbratory1799 darkling1813 sludgy1901 1574 A. Golding tr. A. Marlorat Catholike Expos. Reuelation f. 1^v To the Fathers of olde tyme, Daniels vision seemed moste darkesome. 1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §900 Paracelsus, and some darksome Authors of Magicke. 1838 C. Sumner Mem. & Lett. (1878) I. 379 The darksome notes and memoranda which he made on the margin of the volumes he read. 2014 Hist. of Present 4 110 Might there be something in those formless, darksome, indeterminate first verses of Genesis that could cause us to reconsider the givenness of a sovereign God? b. Lacking moral or spiritual goodness; evil, wicked; iniquitous. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > evil and dark > [adjective] swartOE black1547 flasky1575 darksome1576 sable1726 society > morality > moral evil > [adjective] > evil or dark swartOE darkOE black1547 flasky1575 darksome1576 pitchy1612 sable1726 1576 G. Gascoigne Droomme of Doomes Day iii. sig. L.j^v There is another vitious & darksome way, which is the way or lyfe of the reprobate. 1737 J. Ward Addr. Duke Devonshire 10 On his bright Acts, some darksome Deeds attend. 1845 New Monthly Belle Assemblée Nov. 265/2 Penury, that darksome foe To happiness and peace. 1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times IV. lxvii. 532 It may be that some rather darksome vices suddenly prove their existence in the character of the person whom Mr. Froude had chosen to illustrate the brightness and glory of human nature. 1999 C. L. Kell & L. R. Camp In Name of Father ix. 120 The battles..may be viewed as an attempt to purge the ‘isms’ of feminism, pluralism, or any form of liberalism as unwelcome darksome forces from Southern culture. c. Devoid of happiness, pleasure, or hope; unhappy; cheerless; gloomy. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective] > gloomy or depressing darkOE unmerryOE deathlyc1225 dolefulc1275 elengec1275 dreicha1300 coolc1350 cloudyc1374 sada1375 colda1400 deadlya1400 joylessc1400 unjoyful?c1400 disconsolatea1413 mournfula1425 funeralc1425 uncheerfulc1449 dolent1489 dolesome1533 heavy-hearted1555 glum1558 ungladsome1558 black1562 pleasureless1567 dern1570 plaintive?1570 glummish1573 cheerless1575 comfortless1576 wintry1579 glummy1580 funebral1581 discouraging1584 dernful?1591 murk1596 recomfortless1596 sullen1597 amating1600 lugubrious1601 dusky1602 sable1603 funebrial1604 damping1607 mortifying1611 tearful?1611 uncouth1611 dulsome1613 luctual1613 dismal1617 winterous1617 unked1620 mopish1621 godforsaken?1623 uncheerly1627 funebrious1630 lugubrous1632 drearisome1633 unheartsome1637 feral1641 drear1645 darksome1649 sadding1649 saddening1650 disheartening1654 funebrous1654 luctiferous1656 mestifical1656 tristifical1656 sooty1657 dreary1667 tenebrose1677 clouded1682 tragicala1700 funereal1707 gloomy1710 sepulchrala1711 dumpishc1717 bleaka1719 depressive1727 lugubre1727 muzzy1728 dispiriting1733 uncheery1760 unconsolatory1760 unjolly1764 Decemberly1765 sombre1768 uncouthie1768 depressing1772 unmirthful1782 sombrous1789 disanimating1791 Decemberish1793 grey1794 uncheering1796 ungenial1796 uncomforting1798 disencouraginga1806 stern1812 chilling1815 uncheered1817 dejecting1818 mopey1821 desponding1828 wisht1829 leadening1835 unsportful1837 demoralizing1840 Novemberish1840 frigid1844 morne1844 tragic1848 wet-blanketty1848 morgue1850 ungladdeneda1851 adusk1856 smileless1858 soul-sick1858 Novemberya1864 saturnine1863 down1873 lacklustre1883 Heaven-abandoneda1907 downbeat1952 doomy1967 1649 F. Roberts Clavis Bibliorum (ed. 2) Introd. to Rdr. ii. 24 All my darksome doubtings fled away. 1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth IV. 109 It is a darksom Passion. 1824 T. Hood Two Swans in New Monthly Mag. 10 146 In darksome fears They weep and pine away. 1828 T. Carlyle Burns in Edinb. Rev. Dec. 271 His darksome drudging childhood and youth. 1912 Little Folks Mar. 304/1 Another silence followed, and to me it was a dreadful one of darksome thoughts, without a speck of hope to brighten them. 2000 Toronto Star (Nexis) 16 Jan. [Her book] is a powerful tribute to the Polish spirit in those darksome times. 3. Dark or darkish in shade or colour. 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 1598 F. Rous Thule ii. sig. M^v The Moone downe wept a dewy dropping raine,..Her darksome steedes she would haue setled faine, And made black night aboue remaining still. 1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey 73 He hath a little haire on his vpper lip..of a darksom color. 1815 W. Wordsworth White Doe of Rylstone iv. 68 With pine and cedar spreading wide Their darksome boughs on either side. 1876 Appletons' Jrnl. 19 Feb. 237/1 He had a glimpse of a shapely corset, a gleaming white arm, and a tress of darksome hair. 2009 Prairie Schooner 83 21 The darksome trees dilate to blackness. Derivatives ˈdarksomeness n. darkness (in various senses); obscurity. 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 the world > matter > colour > quality of colour > [noun] > shade or tone > darkness swartnessa1100 darknessa1398 sable?a1513 swarthness?1527 darksomeness1571 swarthiness1577 swartha1661 the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [noun] deepnessa1000 subtletya1387 difficultyc1405 mistiheadc1425 darknessc1450 obscurity1474 profoundnessc1475 obscureness1509 profundity1559 perplexity1563 opacity1575 darksomeness1583 perplexednessa1586 deptha1593 spinosity1605 abstruseness1628 abstrusity1649 inevidence1673 enigmaticalness1684 dark1699 indistinctness1704 confusion1729 reconditeness1779 obfuscity1832 oracularity1840 irrecognizability1847 recondity1856 unrecognizableness1865 crypticity1892 1571 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Psalmes of Dauid with Comm. (xviii. 11) i. f. 58 Hee made darkenesse his secret place, round about him was his tent, darksomnesse of water and the clowds of Heauen. 1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie xlii. 248/1 Gods trueth..is easie & open ynough: and therefore let vs not charge it with darksomnesse. a1643 W. Monson Naval Tracts v, in A. Churchill & J. Churchill Coll. Voy. (1704) III. 495/2 The Darksomness of the Night. 1893 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Dec. 84/2 All of a suddenty a light fell on the furder eend o' the foot-bredge..mighty white an' misty in the darksomeness. 1906 Biblical World 28 88 The early poets witnessed the changes that come over the face of Nature, the march of the seasons, the brightness or darksomeness of the sky. 1980 S. Noffke tr. Catherine of Siena Dialogue 221 By this very light I would have you know more deeply the sinful darksomeness of those other ministers of mine. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1530
随便看	exteriorization exteriorizations exteriorize exteriorized exteriorizes exteriorizing exteriorly exteriors exterminable exterminate exterminated exterminates exterminating extermination extermination camp exterminations exterminative exterminator exterminators exterminatory exterminatress exterminatrix extermine extermined extermines