dawn on

1. Also, dawn upon. Become evident or understood, as in It finally dawned on him that he was expected to call them, or Around noon it dawned upon me that I had never eaten breakfast. This expression transfers the beginning of daylight to the beginning of a thought process. Harriet Beecher Stowe had it in Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852): “The idea that they had either feelings or rights had never dawned upon her.” [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Young Harbaugh worked absurd hours, arriving at the Raiders facility before dawn on the Monday after a game and routinely waiting until Wednesday to going home, stealing a few winks on the floor under his desk while using a balled-up sweatshirt as a pillow.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, at least 10 people have been killed in southern and central Gaza since dawn on Friday, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency.

From BBC

The 51-48 vote happened just before dawn on Thursday, following an hours-long overnight "vote-a-rama", as the Republican-led Senate negotiated amendments.

From BBC

The popular camp lost at least 27 young girls when floodwaters ripped through the premises before dawn on 4 July.

From BBC

Another "particularly dangerous situation" warning was issued for the city of Kerrville at 05.34, before dawn on Friday.

From BBC

Related Words

• affect 
• carry 
• get 
• hit 
• move 
• reach 
• touch