“The darkest hour is just before the dawn”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase means that tough times or challenges often precede hope and better circumstances, suggesting that things may seem bleakest just before they improve.
Tone Hopeful
Where it comes from
The phrase is attributed to the English theologian and historian Thomas Fuller. In his religious travelogue, A Pisgah-Sight Of Palestine And The Confines Thereof, published in 1650, Fuller included the observation, “It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth.”
Examples
- The business nearly closed last winter, but the darkest hour is just before the dawn: sales picked up again in spring.
- When you feel like giving up, remember that the darkest hour is just before the dawn.
Spotted a mistake in this article? Tell us