darkness

Universal Words noun [U] 1 the state of being dark, without any light: After a few minutes our eyes got used to the darkness. * The house was plunged into total darkness when the electricity was cut off. * In the west the sun went down and darkness fell (= it became night). * There is an extra hour of darkness on winter mornings. * Parking is not allowed during the hours of darkness. * Her face was in darkness. * They managed to escape under cover of darkness. 2 the quality or state of being dark in colour: It depends on the darkness of your skin. 3 (literary) evil: the forces of darkness