DARKENING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does darkening mean? 

• DARKENING (noun)
  The noun DARKENING has 1 sense:

1. changing to a darker color

  Familiarity information: DARKENING used as a noun is very rare.

• DARKENING (adjective)
  The adjective DARKENING has 1 sense:

1. becoming dark or darker as from waning light or clouding over

  Familiarity information: DARKENING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DARKENING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Changing to a darker color

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

blackening; darkening

Hypernyms ("darkening" is a kind of...):

change of color (an act that changes the light that something reflects)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "darkening"):

obfuscation (darkening or obscuring the sight of something)

Derivation:

darken (make dark or darker)

darken (become dark or darker)

• DARKENING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Becoming dark or darker as from waning light or clouding over

Context example:

the darkening sky

Similar:

dark (devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black)

 Context examples 

Darkening and fading might result from changes in hydration.

(Recurring Martian Streaks: Flowing Sand, Not Water?, NASA)

Scientists say it's likely a shallow subsurface flow, with enough water wicking to the surface to explain the darkening.

(NASA Confirms Evidence That Liquid Water Flows on Today's Mars, NASA)

When exposed to a strong external magnetic field, ferumoxides exhibits enhanced T2 relaxation, resulting in signal loss in normal tissues (image darkening) on mid T1/T2 or strongly T2-weighted images.

(Ferumoxides Injectable Solution, NCI Thesaurus)

“Not so,” answered Sir Simon Burley, who had watched the approaching host with a darkening face.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With a darkening face my friend strode along the margin, eagerly observant of every muddy stain upon the mossy surface.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has imaged the planet Mercury passing in front of the sun, visible as a faint darkening that moves across the face of the sun.

(Mercury passes in front of the Sun, as seen from Mars, NASA)

For many months I travelled with this ever-darkening cloud upon my mind.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Upon exposure to the strong external magnetic field during MRI, ferumoxsil exhibits strong T1 relaxation properties and a strongly varying local magnetic field; T2 relaxation is enhanced, thereby darkening the contrast agent-containing portion of the gastrointestinal tract.

(Ferumoxsil Oral Suspension, NCI Thesaurus)

The rocks of the Spy-glass re-echoed it a score of times; the whole troop of marsh-birds rose again, darkening heaven, with a simultaneous whirr; and long after that death yell was still ringing in my brain, silence had re-established its empire, and only the rustle of the redescending birds and the boom of the distant surges disturbed the languor of the afternoon.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

After intravenous administration, ferumoxytol replaces iron stores with fewer side effects compared to the use of oral iron. In addition, this agent generates T1 relaxation, producing a magnetic field and enhancing T2 relaxation, thereby darkening contrast media-containing structures in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

(Ferumoxytol Non-Stoichiometric Magnetite, NCI Thesaurus)