day-spring

The day-spring painted the eastern sky with soft light.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Dawn, daybreak: "day-spring" is a poetic or archaic term referring to the first appearance of light in the morning; the beginning of day.
   • Figurative meaning: It can also symbolize a new beginning, hope, or the start of something positive.

Usage Examples

• Literal:
  • The birds began to sing at the first sign of day-spring. (The birds started singing as dawn approached.)
• Figurative:
  • Her recovery marked a day-spring of hope for the family. (Her recovery signalled a new beginning of hope.)

Advanced Usage

• "day-spring from on high": a biblical phrase from the Gospel of Luke (1:78), often interpreted as the coming of Christ as a light to humanity.
  • The prophecy spoke of a day-spring from on high visiting us. (A divine light or dawn of salvation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Spring (n): the season between winter and summer; also a source of water.
  • The spring brought new flowers. (The season of growth.)
• Daybreak (n): the time in the morning when sunlight first appears.
  • We woke up at daybreak. (At dawn.)
• Dawn (n): the first light of day.
  • Dawn arrived over the mountains. (Daybreak.)

Synonyms

• Sunrise: the daily appearance of the sun above the horizon.
• Morning: the early part of the day, especially from sunrise to noon.
• Aurora: the Roman goddess of dawn; poetic term for daybreak.

Related Idioms

• The crack of dawn: very early in the morning.
  • We left at the crack of dawn. (At the first light of day.)
• A new dawn: a fresh start or new era.
  • The peace treaty brought a new dawn for the region. (A hopeful beginning.)

Additional Notes

• Archaic and poetic usage: "day-spring" is rarely used in modern everyday English. It appears mainly in literature, hymns, or religious texts. For example, in the hymn "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," the phrase "day-spring from on high" is used.