broad daylight

English

WOTD – 16 May 2024

Etymology

A woman in broad daylight (sense 1).

From broad (“(archaic) to the full extent”) +‎ daylight.

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

broad daylight (uncountable)

2. Abundant natural illumination in daytime, producing clear visibility; hence, daytime.

   Synonym: open daylight

   Coordinate terms: half-light, twilight

   • 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.

4. (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^[1], 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, especially a crime, that unexpectedly takes place openly in front of observers.

Derived terms

• in broad daylight

Translations

abundant natural illumination in daytime

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 大白天 (zh) (dàbáitiān), 青天白日 (zh) (qīngtiānbáirì) (idiom)

  Shanghainese Wu: 大白天亮 (⁶du-baq-thi-lian)

• Finnish: kirkas päivänvalo
• Japanese: 白昼 (ja) (はくちゅう, hakuchū), 昼日中 (ひるひなか, hiruhinaka), 真昼 (ja) (まひる, mahiru), 真っ昼間 (まっぴるま, mappiruma)
• Maori: maruawatea
• Sorbian:

  Lower Sorbian: běły źeń m

• Vietnamese: sáng bạch (vi), thanh thiên bạch nhật (vi) (青天白日) (figurative)

daytime — see daytime

full view of observers during the day — see in broad daylight

Further reading

• “broad daylight”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.