at the crack of dawn
/ət ðə ˌkræk əv ˈdɔːn/NEUTRAL · C2
Meaning
very early in the morning as daylight begins
Examples
- 1We left at the crack of dawn and watched the sun rise over the fields.
- 2Why does the neighbour start gardening at the crack of dawn, before anyone else is awake?
- 3The photographer arrived at the crack of dawn to catch the first light on the lake.
- 4Birdsong woke me at the crack of dawn, as a thin line of sunlight appeared.
- 5At the crack of dawn, the sky began turning pink and the fishing boats left harbour.
Grammar
A fixed adverbial phrase. Keep at the crack of dawn unchanged; do not add an article before dawn.
More idioms about time
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →in the long runeventually, when considering effects over a lengthy periodfor the time beingtemporarily, until the situation changesfrom time to timeoccasionally, without a regular patternbehind the timesold-fashioned and unaware of modern developmentsahead of your timemore innovative than most people of your periodstand the test of timeto remain useful, strong or popular over many years
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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