crack of dawn

American  

noun

1. the part of morning when light first appears in the sky.

---

crack of dawn Idioms  

1. 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]

---

Example Sentences

At the crack of dawn we head to Toledo.

From Literature

A self-confessed "over-achiever and a nerd" who loves learning, he is up before the crack of dawn for his main passion - writing about birdsong - in between his meditation and Alexander technique, a therapy for good posture and movement.

From BBC

Machado and the crew planned to leave at the crack of dawn on Tuesday but left as the sun was setting instead.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some shoppers say they got up at the crack of dawn to wait outside their local branches of the coffee chain, only to find they were too late.

From The Wall Street Journal

You’ve probably seen them in your neighborhood, on power-walking pros out and about at the crack of dawn.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• dawning
• daybreak
• daylight
• morning