/dim-meaning-antonyms

/dim/

-) Verb.

-) Etymology: from the adjective “dim”.

-) Preterite tense: dimmed. Preterite participle: dimmed.

-) Present participle: dimming.

-) Documented since 1300.

-) Intransitively: to become dim, somewhat dark, obscure, shadowy, gloomy; to diminish in brightness or clearness.

-) Translation: s'obscurcir, in French; oscurecerse, in Spanish; oscurarsi, in Italian.

-) Antonyms of “dim”: shine, beam, irradiate.

… the lamp as it dimmed and flickered.

James Grant… Rufus… 1838

-) Transitively: to make dim; to render obscure, dull, or less distinct; to diminish the brightness of.

-) Synonyms for the verb “dim”: dull, darken, obscure, opaque.

-) Antonyms: shine, illuminate, irradiate.

The brilliancy of her eyes was dimmed by weeping.

F. Burney… Camilla… 1796

Thus if in the hottest day in summer, when the vapour in our breath is totally invisible, we breathe on a looking-glass or plate of polished metal, which is colder than our breath, the surface is immediately dimmed.

W. Nicholson… Journal of Natural Philosophy… 1801

Thus, when a bottle or glass of cold water is brought into the room, where many persons have been sitting for some time, its outer surface is immediately dimmed by the vapour contained in the air of the room, now condensed upon it.

J. Black… Elements of Chemistry… 1807

A dull, misty rain dimmed the landscape around.

Atkinson's Casket, vol. 9… 1834

… the moon was high in the heavens, without a cloud to dim its brilliancy.

Pierce Egan… Robin Hood… 1840

Columbus arose sufficiently early to get a view of the star before its brightness was dimmed by the return of light, and made another deliberate comparison of the position of this familiar heavenly body with the direction of the needles.

J. Cooper… Mercedes of Castile… 1840

"Do not make yourself miserable, dear young lady," interrupted Marian, whose eyes were dimmed with tears.

G. Reynolds… The mysteries of London 1844 

She even drew a caricature of him, said to be an exact resemblance; but as it was with her finger on a mirror dimmed by her breath, there are no means of ascertaining this fact.

Bayle John… Purple Tints of Paris… 1854

A sky dimmed with vapour.

Temple Bar… vol.6… 1862

… how intently we watch for the merest trace of breath, and augur that, if but a feather be moved by it or a mirror dimmed by it, there is yet life!

Popular Science… 1872

… a drizzling rain dimmed the atmosphere, and disturbed the lake.

The Pocket magazine… 1896?

-) English words derived from “dim”: dimmer, dimmed, dimmedness, dimly.