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false dawn

American

noun

zodiacal light occurring before sunrise.

false dawn British

noun

zodiacal light appearing just before sunrise

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of false dawn

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But it looks like that tentative rebound was another false dawn for the cryptocurrencies.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

But Arsenal's upcoming visit to Old Trafford and the 37 Premier Leagues games afterwards will decide whether the progress is real or if pre-season 2025 was just another false dawn.

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2025

The question now is whether this represents a false dawn on inflation, or the start of a durable decline in rising costs — and interest rates.

From New York Times • Nov. 15, 2023

The next week or so will show whether or not this is a false dawn with U.S. payrolls numbers due on Friday, U.S.

From Reuters • Mar. 6, 2023

In the still shadows of the false dawn the companions hastened to the chicken roost where Eilonwy ventured to light her bauble.

From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023