dark as Egypt

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Extremely dark.

Register: dated

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Rich[ard]. He muſt have a havvk's eye to ſee the ſtars this evening. VVhy don't you knovv, Jack, it is cloudy out a'doors? / Jack. That's nothing vvith him. He could look through the clouds vvith his glaſs, if it vvas as dark as Egypt, as eaſy as you can look into the other room; or, if he had a min

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “dark as Egypt” mean?

Extremely dark.

Is “dark as Egypt” formal or informal?

dark as Egypt is generally dated.