crack of dawn
- the part of morning when light first appears in the sky.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
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dawndawningdaylightdaybreakmorningprimemornaurorasunupcockcrowsunrisemorrowAMforenoondayspringlightoutsetglowhalf-lightbrightIdioms and Phrases with crack of dawn
crack of dawn
Very early morning, daybreak. For example, I got up at the crack of dawn. The crack in this term alludes either to the suddenness of sunrise or to the small wedge of light appearing as the sun rises over the horizon. Originally the term was usually put as crack of day. [Late 1800s]
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.