1. (v. i.) To begin to grow light in the morning; to grow light; to break, or begin to appear; as, the day dawns; the morning dawns.
2. (v. i.) To began to give promise; to begin to appear or to expand.
3. (n.) The break of day; the first appearance of light in the morning; show of approaching sunrise.
4. (n.) First opening or expansion; first appearance; beginning; rise.
Thesaurus Entries
A, advent, alpha, antemeridian, appear, appearance, arise, arrival, arrive, aurora, auroral, awakening, begin, beginning, birth, blast-off, break, break of day, brighten, brightening, broad day, chanticleer, cockcrow, cocklight, come to mind, commence, commencement, crack of dawn, creation, cutting edge, dawning, day, day glow, day-peep, daybreak, daylight, dayshine, dayspring, daytide, daytime, develop, dusk, edge, emerge, emergence, establishment, first brightening, first light, flying start, foundation, fresh start, full sun, genesis, gleam, green flash, grow bright, grow light, inauguration, inception, institution, jump-off, kick-off, leading edge, light, light of day, lighten, matin, matinal, matutinal, midday sun, morn, morning, new departure, noonlight, noontide light, occur to, oncoming, onset, opening, origin, originate, origination, outbreak, outset, outstart, peep of day, prime, ray of sunshine, rise, running start, send-off, setting in motion, setting-up, shine, square one, start, start-off, starting point, sun spark, sunbeam, sunbreak, sunburst, sunlight, sunrise, sunshine, sunup, take-off, twilight, unfold, vestibule of Day
