dark-gray
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective: Of a dark shade of grey. It describes a color that is a deep, muted tone between black and white, lacking brightness.
Usage
- The primary use is as a descriptive adjective to specify the shade of a color.
- It is typically placed before a noun or used after a linking verb like 'be', 'look', or 'seem'.
- It is often hyphenated when used attributively (before a noun).
Examples
Attributive (before a noun):
- The dark-gray clouds signaled an approaching storm.
- She wore a stylish dark-gray coat.
Predicative (after a linking verb):
- The old photograph had faded and was now dark-gray.
- The elephant's skin looked dark-gray in the shadow.
Advanced Usage
- Comparative and Superlative Forms: 'darker-gray', 'darkest-gray'. These forms are used for comparison, though 'a darker shade of gray' is often more natural.
- This fabric is a darker-gray than the sample.
- Compound Modifier: Can be part of a compound adjective.
- The dark-gray-painted wall made the room feel smaller.
Variants and Related Words
- dark grey: A common spelling variant without the hyphen, especially in British English.
- charcoal (gray): A very dark gray, often synonymous with 'dark-gray'.
- slate gray: A dark bluish-gray color.
- gunmetal gray: A dark gray with a slight metallic sheen.
Synonyms
- charcoal
- slate
- dusky
- leaden (when describing a dull, dark gray sky)
Antonyms
- light-gray
- pale gray
- white
- bright
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Dark gray area: A metaphorical extension meaning a situation or issue that is not clearly defined, falling between two extremes but leaning towards the more ambiguous or negative side. (Note: This is a variant of the common idiom "gray area").
- The ethical rules here aren't black and white; it's a dark gray area.
Adjective
- of a dark shade of grey