Definition

Noun The very first appearance of light in the sky at sunrise; the beginning of dawn.

Usage

This is a literary or somewhat formal term for the time when night ends and daylight first begins to appear. It describes the moment or period when the sky starts to lighten before the sun itself is visible.

Examples

• The fishermen set out at the break of the day.
• We reached the summit just at the break of the day.
• The camp was silent until the break of the day.

Advanced Usage

• Poetic/Literary Context: This phrase is commonly used in poetry, literature, and descriptive writing to evoke a specific, quiet, and hopeful time of day.
  • "He promised to return to her at the break of the day."

Variants and Related Words

• Dawn (noun): The first light of day; synonymous and more common in everyday use.
• Daybreak (noun): A direct compound synonym for 'break of the day'.
• Sunrise (noun): Specifically the moment the sun appears above the horizon, which occurs shortly after the break of day.
• First light (noun phrase): A very close synonym.
• Crack of dawn (idiomatic noun phrase): An informal, emphatic term for a very early hour, often implying it is earlier than desired.

Synonyms

Dawn, daybreak, first light, sunrise, morning, sunup.

Antonyms

Nightfall, dusk, sunset, sundown, twilight (evening).

Related Idioms

• At the crack of dawn: Very early in the morning.
  • We have to leave at the crack of dawn to avoid traffic.
• From dawn till dusk: From very early morning until evening; all day long.
  • The farmers worked from dawn till dusk.

Noun

1. the first light of day
   • we got up before dawn
   • they talked until morning