[f. BE- 6 + NIGHT.]

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  1.  trans. a. pass. To be overtaken by the darkness of night (before reaching a place of shelter).

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1560.  Daus, Sleidane’s Comm., 326. The Emperour … was benighted and rode at Ancker.

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1598.  Hakluyt, Voy., I. 112. When we lay in the fields or were benighted before we came to oure iourneis end.

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1678.  Bunyan, Pilgr., I. (1862), 43. I am like to be benighted, for the day is almost spent.

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1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. xxvii. 190. A gentleman … would rather be benighted, than put up at his house.

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1839.  De Quincey, Recoll. Lakes, Wks. 1862, II. 172. The tourists were benighted in a forest.

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  b.  active. To involve in the darkness of night; refl. to hide oneself in the night. rare. arch.

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1648.  Boyle, Seraph. Love, vi. (1700), 18 (J.). Those bright Stars that did adorn our Hemisphere, as those dark shades that did benight it, vanish.

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1654.  Gayton, Festiv. Notes, II. vi. 59. She straightway dight Her robes, & did herselfe benight.

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1839.  Bailey, Festus (1848), vi. Benighting even night with its grim limbs.

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  2.  To involve in darkness, to darken, to cloud. Also fig., of the effect of sorrow, disappointment, etc., upon one’s face, prospects or life.

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a. 1631.  Donne, Select. (1840), 3. As the sun does not set to any nation … God … does not set to thy soul, though he benight it with an affliction.

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1651.  Davenant, Gondibert, III. V. xvi. Now jealousie no more benights her face.

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1699.  Garth, Dispens. (1706), 36.

          Feebly the Flames on clumsie Wings aspire,
And smoth’ring Fogs of Smoke benight the Fire.
    Ibid. (1717), Ovid’s Met., XIV. 495 (J.).
A Storm begins, the raging Waves run high,
The Clouds look heavy, and benight the Sky.

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  b.  To involve in intellectual or moral darkness, in the ‘night’ of error or superstition.

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1610.  Healey, St. Aug. City of God, 414. Nor is the creature ever be nighted but when the love of the Creator forsakes him.

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1692.  E. Walker, Epictetus’ Mor., lxiii. Whose Reason’s Light Is clouded o’er, whom Error doth benight.

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1712.  Henley, Spect., No. 396, § 2. These Portraitures benight the faculties.

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1832.  J. Wilson, Unimore, vi. 281.

        Than what men in their blindness choose to call
Religion, now benighting half the earth.

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  3.  To blind, to dazzle; to deprive of vision.

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1621.  G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., II. (1626), 26. Pale sudden feare … in so great a light, be-nights his eyes.

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1651.  J. C[leveland], Poems, 32. This Cabinet, whose aspect would benight Critick spectators with redundant light.

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1652.  Benlowes, Theoph., III. lvi. 44. O’re-fulgent Beams daz’d Eyes benight.

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