In the dark

Meaning

The idiom "in the dark" means to be unaware or unknowing of something, often referring to a lack of information or understanding about a particular situation. It can also imply being clueless or confused about a topic or issue.

• Literal Meaning Being in a state of darkness or lack of light, which can make it difficult to see or understand things around you.
• Figurative Meaning Being unaware or unknowing of something, often referring to a lack of information or understanding about a particular situation.

Usage

• "I was completely in the dark when my boss told me about the project's timeline." - This sentence indicates that the speaker did not know anything about the project's timeline until their boss informed them.
• "The politician was asked about the scandal, but he was clearly in the dark and didn't have any answers." - This sentence suggests that the politician lacked knowledge or understanding about the scandal, which made it difficult for them to provide any useful information.
• "I had never seen such a beautiful sunset before, and I felt like I was in a dream." - This sentence uses the idiom in a metaphorical sense to describe how the speaker felt as if they were in a state of ignorance or confusion about the beauty of the sunset.
• "The students were in the dark about the exam's content, and many of them didn't prepare well." - This sentence suggests that the students lacked knowledge or understanding about the exam's content, which led to poor performance.
• "When I asked my friend about her job, she was clearly in the dark and couldn't provide any useful information." - This sentence implies that the speaker's friend did not have any knowledge or understanding about their job, which made it difficult for them to provide any useful information. The usage of the idiom can vary depending on the context. In some cases, it can be used to describe a lack of awareness or understanding about a situation, while in others, it can be used to describe being clueless or confused about a topic or issue.

Roots and History

The idiom "in the dark" has been used since at least the 16th century. One of its earliest known uses was by William Shakespeare in his play "Othello," where he wrote, "I am but little better than a beast." This line suggests that Othello feels like he is in a state of ignorance or confusion about what is happening around him. Over time, the idiom has evolved to refer more broadly to a lack of information or understanding about a particular situation. It has also been used metaphorically to describe feeling clueless or confused about something. There are some regional variations in how this idiom is used. For example, in some parts of the United States, it is common to say "in the dark" to mean that you don't know what someone else is thinking or feeling. In other parts of the world, similar idioms may have different meanings or connotations.

Synonyms in English

• Clueless
• Unaware
• Unknowing
• Naive
• Oblivious

Synonyms in other languages

• Spanish: "en las tinieblas" - This idiom means "in the darkness" and can be used to describe feeling clueless or confused about a topic or issue.
• French: "dans le noir" - This idiom means "in the darkness" and can be used to describe feeling unaware or unknowing of something.
• German: "im Dunkeln" - This idiom means "in the darkness" and can be used to describe feeling clueless or confused about a topic or issue.
• Italian: "nel buio" - This idiom means "in the darkness" and can be used to describe feeling unaware or unknowing of something.
• Japanese: "暗隠" - This idiom means "shrouded in darkness" and can be used to describe feeling clueless or confused about a topic or issue.

Similar Idioms

• in the buff

• fall on deaf ears

• cover one’s tracks