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Phrase: Dawn on someone
Have you ever thought about a problem for a long time but could not find the solution?
Then, while taking a shower, the answer suddenly dawned on you.
Sure, you have, we’ve all been in that situation a time or two. When something dawns on you, it suddenly becomes evident to you.
It’s very similar to the aha moment.
My students have moments like this during lessons all the time.
They ask a question, but no matter how I explain it, they don’t get it.
Then suddenly, it dawns on them, a little solar-powered light switches on above their head, their eyes open wide, and they say ah-ha.
I suppose some people may say eureka, but they are probably from California.
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When non-native English speakers hear an English joke, there is often a delay before it dawns on them.
Understanding humour in a foreign language is one of the most challenging things to do.
When the reason everyone is laughing suddenly dawns on you, though, it’s like a little victory.
Yes, it’s great to achieve that victory when everyone else is still laughing, but unfortunately, sometimes, it doesn’t dawn on you until during the train ride home.
Better late than never, as they say.
I don’t know where the expression comes from, and it seems to be counterintuitive because if you’ve ever watched the sunrise, dawn occurs quite slowly.
When something dawns on you, however, it happens quickly.
Oh well, who are we to question the wisdom of our ancestors?
They created the phrase; we only use it and pass it on to the next generation.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 12).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 71.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.