light from the sun daybreak - see daylight ⇒
to understand something previously obscure to realize that the end of a difficult task is approaching
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
day•light /ˈdeɪˌlaɪt/USA pronunciation
n.
adj. [before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [uncountable]
- the period of light during a day:In December in Sweden there is hardly any daylight.
- daybreak;
dawn:Attack at daylight. - public knowledge or awareness;
openness:When this information is brought to daylight, the mayor will have a lot of explaining to do. - daylights, wits:You scared the daylights out of me.
adj. [before a noun]
- done, used, or taking place in daylight:a daring, daylight robbery at the bank.
day•light
(dā′līt′),USA pronunciation n., adj., v., -light•ed or -lit, -light•ing.
n.
adj.
v.t.
n.
- the light of day:At the end of the tunnel they could see daylight.
- public knowledge or awareness;
openness:The newspaper article brought the scandal out into the daylight. - the period of day;
daytime. - daybreak;
dawn. - a clear space between any two parts that should be close together, as between the jambs of the opening of a doorway or the knees of a horseback rider and a saddle.
- daylights, mental soundness;
consciousness;
wits:The noise scared the daylights out of us. - Idioms see daylight, to progress to a point where completion of a difficult task seems possible or probable.
adj.
- Photographyof, pertaining to, or being film made for exposure by the natural light of day.
v.t.
- Buildingto suffuse (an interior space) with artificial light or with daylight filtered through translucent materials, as roofing panels.
- 1175–1225; Middle English; see day, light1
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'daylight hours' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):