1
- the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise黎明, 拂晓, 晨曦：
he set off at dawn.
他黎明时分出发。
1.1
- figurative the beginning of a phenomenon or period of time, especially one perceived as auspicious〈喻〉黎明, 开端, 起始：
the dawn of civilization.
文明的开端。
no obj.
1
- (of a day) begin（一天）破晓, 开始：
with complement Thursday dawned bright and sunny.
锦上添花的是, 星期四一大早就阳光明媚灿烂。
1.1
- figurative come into existence〈喻〉开始, 来临, 出现：
a new age was dawning in the Tory party.
保守党的新时代来临了。
2
- become evident to the mind; be perceived or understood认识到; 明白：
the awful truth was beginning to dawn on him
他开始认识到可怕的事实
as adj. dawning he smiled with dawning recognition.他若有所悟地微笑起来。
词源
late 15th cent. (as a verb)： back-formation from Middle English DAWNING.