dark lantern
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A lantern with a single opening and a sliding panel that can be closed to conceal the light: A portable light source designed to allow its user to control the visibility of the light it emits, typically by sliding a cover over its single opening.
Usage
- The term "dark lantern" is a historical or specialized noun. It is used to describe a specific type of lantern, notably from earlier centuries, used by individuals like watchmen, police officers, or those needing to conceal their light source for stealth.
Examples
- Noun:
- The night watchman carried a dark lantern to inspect the premises without being easily seen.
- In the 19th century, a dark lantern was essential equipment for a detective.
Advanced Usage
- The "dark lantern" is often associated with historical, literary, or stealth contexts. Its function is not merely to provide light but to provide light.
- "to shroud/shutter a dark lantern": to close the sliding panel to hide the light completely.
- The thief shrouded his dark lantern as the guards approached.
Variants and Related Words
- Lantern (n): a portable protective case for a light source, with openings to let the light out. A "dark lantern" is a specific subtype of a lantern.
- Bull's-eye lantern (n): a similar historical lantern with a lens to concentrate light into a beam; sometimes conflated with or considered a type of dark lantern.
Synonyms
- Shuttered lantern: A lantern with a cover, though not necessarily a single sliding one.
- Police lantern: A term sometimes used historically, referencing one of its common users.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- While there is no common phrasal verb or idiom using "dark lantern," the object itself can be used metaphorically.
- "like a dark lantern": describing something that reveals information selectively or secretly.
- His explanation was like a dark lantern, illuminating only what he wanted us to see.
Noun
- a lantern with a single opening and a sliding panel that can be closed to conceal the light