false dawn
A "false dawn" can either refer to an early light before sunrise or a misleading sign of progress.
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Definition
B2Astronomy
(technical)The faint light seen on the horizon before the actual sunrise, often due to scattered light or Zodiacal Light.
Example
- We woke up early to witness the false dawn before the actual sunrise.
B2General
(figurative)An event or sign that seems promising but does not lead to the expected positive outcome.
Example
- The recent economic uptick turned out to be a false dawn, with the recession continuing unabated.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "false dawn":
dawn patroldawn choirfrom dawn to duskdawn raiddawn chorusfrom dusk to dawn