Meaning of Idiom
In the Dark: 1. To be uninformed or unknowledgeable about something or someone. 2. In secret, hidden. 1Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.,2Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Usage
Other than “to be in the dark” this idiom has several standard phrasal variations :
keep someone in the dark, to
stay in the dark, to
remain in the dark, to
The first of these variations is very common and means to deliberately keep someone uninformed about something. 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Many other variations are possible.
Examples of Use
“You can try to keep me in the dark if you want but I will find out what is going on around here.”
“The plan was made in the dark.”
“I am in the dark about any plans to open a new store.”
“For now, you’re going to have to remain in the dark about the agreement.”
Origin
Used since the late 1600’s.
More Idioms Starting with I
More Dark Idioms
More In Idioms
- Have Someone in the Palm of One’s Hand
- Last One In is a Rotten Egg
- Runs in the Family
- Day In And Day Out
- In For It (or Something), to be
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Sources
| 1. | ↲ | Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. |
| 2, 3. | ↲ | Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. |