broad daylight
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Alexander_Shustov_2013_%28Unsplash%29.jpg/220px-Alexander_Shustov_2013_%28Unsplash%29.jpg)
From broad (“(archaic) to the full extent”) + daylight.[1]
Pronunciation
[edit]- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɹɔːd ˈdeɪlaɪt/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /bɹɔd ˈdeɪˌlaɪt/
- (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /bɹɑd ˈdeɪˌlaɪt/
- Hyphenation: broad day‧light
Noun
[edit]- Abundant natural illumination in daytime, producing clear visibility; hence, daytime.
- Synonym: open daylight
- Coordinate terms: half-light, twilight
- 1732, George Berkeley, “The Fourth Dialogue”, in Alciphron: Or, The Minute Philosopher. […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], →OCLC, section III, page 211:
- VVhen half a dozen ingenous Men are got together over a Glaſs of VVine, by a chearful Fire, in a Room vvell lighted, vve baniſh vvith eaſe all the Spectres of Fancy or Education, and are very clear in our Deciſions. But, as I vvas taking a ſolitary VValk before it vvas broad Day-light in yonder Grove, methought the Point vvas not quite ſo clear; nor cou'd I readily recollect the Force of thoſe Arguments, vvhich uſed to appear ſo concluſive at other Times.
- 1848, Acton Bell [pseudonym; Anne Brontë], “The Retreat”, in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. […], volume III, London: T[homas] C[autley] Newby, […], →OCLC, page 121:
- Broad daylight illumined the apartment, for the sun was high in heaven, though obscured by rolling masses of autumnal vapour.
- 1911, Bram Stoker, “Exit Oolanga”, in The Lair of the White Worm, London: William Rider and Son, […], →OCLC, page 170:
- Whilst they had been speaking, she had opened the door, a narrow iron one well hung, for it had opened easily and closed tightly without any creaking or sound of any kind. Within all was dark; but she entered as freely and with as little misgiving or restraint as if it had been broad daylight.
- 1952 (date written), Max C[harles] Freedman, Jimmy De Knight [pseudonym; James Edward Myers] (lyrics and music), “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock”, performed by Bill Haley & His Comets, Philadelphia, Pa.: Myers Music, published 1953, recording released 20 May 1954, →OCLC, page 2:
- We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, / We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight, / We're gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight.
- (figurative) Chiefly preceded by in: the full view of observers during the day.
- The bank robbery took place in broad daylight.
- 1934, Leslie Charteris, “The Uncritical Publisher”, in Ian Dickerson, editor, The Saint Intervenes, London: Mulholland Books, published 2013, →ISBN, page 125:
- 'But surely,' protested Peter half-heartedly, 'he couldn't carry on a racket like that in broad daylight and get away with it?'
Usage notes
[edit]Sense 2 (“full view of observers during the day”) is usually used to describe an event, especially a crime, that unexpectedly takes place openly in front of observers.
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]abundant natural illumination in daytime
|
daytime — see daytime
full view of observers during the day — see in broad daylight
References
[edit]- ^ “in broad daylight” under “broad, adj.1 and n.1”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2023; “in broad daylight, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
Further reading
[edit]- “broad daylight”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.