broad daylight
English
WOTD – 16 May 2024
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɹɔːd ˈdeɪlaɪt/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /bɹɔd ˈdeɪˌlaɪt/
- (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /bɹɑd ˈdeɪˌlaɪt/
- Hyphenation: broad day‧light
Noun
- Abundant natural illumination in daytime, producing clear visibility; hence, daytime.
- Synonym: open daylight
- 1732, George Berkeley, “The Fourth Dialogue”, in Alciphron: Or, The Minute Philosopher. […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], →OCLC, section III, page 211:
- VVhen half a dozen ingenous Men are got together over a Glaſs of VVine, by a chearful Fire, in a Room vvell lighted, vve baniſh vvith eaſe all the Spectres of Fancy or Education, and are very clear in our Deciſions. But, as I vvas taking a ſolitary VValk before it vvas broad Day-light in yonder Grove, methought the Point vvas not quite ſo clear; nor cou'd I readily recollect the Force of thoſe Arguments, vvhich uſed to appear ſo concluſive at other Times.
- 1848, Acton Bell [pseudonym; Anne Brontë], “The Retreat”, in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. […], volume III, London: T[homas] C[autley] Newby, […], →OCLC, page 121:
- Broad daylight illumined the apartment, for the sun was high in heaven, though obscured by rolling masses of autumnal vapour.
- 1911, Bram Stoker, “Exit Oolanga”, in The Lair of the White Worm, London: William Rider and Son, […], →OCLC, page 170:
- Whilst they had been speaking, she had opened the door, a narrow iron one well hung, for it had opened easily and closed tightly without any creaking or sound of any kind. Within all was dark; but she entered as freely and with as little misgiving or restraint as if it had been broad daylight.
- 1952 (date written), Max C[harles] Freedman, Jimmy De Knight [pseudonym; James Edward Myers] (lyrics and music), “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock”, performed by Bill Haley & His Comets, Philadelphia, Pa.: Myers Music, published 1953, recording released 20 May 1954, →OCLC, page 2:
- We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, / We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight, / We're gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight.
- (figurative) Chiefly preceded by in: the full view of observers during the day.
- The bank robbery took place in broad daylight.
- 1934, Leslie Charteris, “The Uncritical Publisher”, in Ian Dickerson, editor, The Saint Intervenes, London: Mulholland Books, published 2013, →ISBN, page 125:
- 'But surely,' protested Peter half-heartedly, 'he couldn't carry on a racket like that in broad daylight and get away with it?'
- 2008 January 24, Brian Benntt, “When Iraqis Come to America”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2008-09-16:
- It's still too dangerous for the wife of a journalist who was murdered in the street in broad daylight.
Usage notes
Sense 2 (“full view of observers during the day”) is usually used to describe an event that unexpectedly takes place openly in front of observers.
Derived terms
Translations
abundant natural illumination in daytime
daytime — see daytime
References
- “in broad daylight” under “broad, adj.1 and n.1”, in OED Online , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2023; “in broad daylight, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
Further reading
- “broad daylight”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
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