Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. 1 A thin ambient light which precedes true dawn, typically by around an hour, in certain parts of the world. 2 Something engendering premature hope; a promising sign which in fact leads to nothing.
Wikipedia
False Dawn may refer to:
- "False Dawn" (short story), a short story by Rudyard Kipling
- False Dawn (Parts One and Two) (The Forties), a 1924 novella by Edith Wharton about New York City in the 1840s
- False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism, a 1998 book by political philosopher John N. Gray
- Zodiacal light, a faint, roughly triangular glow seen in the night sky
- False Dawn, 1978 novel by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
"False Dawn" is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. It was first published in the first Indian edition of Plain Tales from the Hills in 1888, and in subsequent editions of that collection.
The story is set on an unnamed 'station', or one of the posts where the British lived during the Raj. It is something of a backwater, "nearly a day's journey" from Lahore; and at the time of the story, "just before the final exodus of the Hill-goers", i.e. at the beginning of the hot season, there are under 20 British in residence. The story concerns Saumarez, a well-paid member of the Indian Civil Service who is "popular with women". He decides to propose marriage to one of a pair of sisters, Maud (the elder) and Edith Copleigh, who do everything together: the gossip of the station is that it will be to Maud, which would be an excellent match. She is prettier than her sister, though they are very alike in figure, look and voice. Saumarez arranges a moonlight picnic for six couple to provide a romantic setting. After midnight, the supper is interrupted by a terrible dust storm, and confusion reigns. In a lull in the storm, the narrator (the usual ''persona ''of 'Kipling') hears Edith crying "O my God!". and asking to be taken home. He refuses till daylight, they separate - and then Saumarez says he's proposed to the wrong one. The narrator sees on Maud's face "that look on her face which only comes once or twice in a lifetime - when a woman is perfectly happy and the air is full of trumpets and gorgeously-coloured fire, and the Earth turns into cloud because she loves and is loved." It is Saumarez's duty to wipe that look off her face. 'Kipling' leaves him to it, galloping off to tell Edith: "You have got to come back with me, Miss Copleigh. Saumarez has something to tell you." They return home in the dawn, Maud riding with 'Kipling': "Maud Copleigh did not talk to me at any length."
All quotations in this article have been taken from the Uniform Edition of Plain Tales from the Hills published by Macmillan & Co., Limited in London in 1899. The text is that of the third edition (1890), and the author of the article has used his own copy of the 1923 reprint. Further comment, including page-by-page notes, can be found on the Kipling Society's website, at 1.Category:Short stories by Rudyard Kipling Category:Rudyard Kipling stories about India
Usage examples of "false dawn".
It reminded Damien of the false dawn of the arctic region, where the late autumn sun teased the eye once a day but never fully rose.
And so when the false dawn of the City's lights showed them the snow piled deep and crisp and even on their window-ledge, they lay with the deep crisp bedclothes up around their necks (the hotel's heat had failed in the sudden cold) and talked.
It was false dawn, the sky still dark to the west, and the Happy Valley Racecourse was spotted with people at the morning workout.
The man squatting across from Hawat was a Fremen who had come across the sink in the first light of false dawn, skittering over the sand, blending into the dunes, his movements barely discernible.
A cock's crow woke him, and he scrambled out into the false dawn, brushing hay off his clothes.
The stars overhead had begun to pale with false dawn, and Tapek was in a sore mood from stubbing his toes on the cobbles.
Guy watched the display as the false dawn gave way to the light of morning.
Thestars overhead had begun to pale with false dawn, andTapek was in a sore mood from stubbing his toes on thecobbles.