darken up
To quickly get darker in colour or shade.
Meanings
Of the sky or a room: to become noticeably darker, often suddenly.
"The sky darkened up in the east, and we knew the rain was coming fast."
Of a colour or surface: to become richer or deeper in shade.
"Wet the wood first — it'll darken up nicely and show you the final stained colour."
Of a person's skin: to become more tanned or darker in tone.
"She darkened up beautifully after two weeks on the Mediterranean coast."
Used in weather, art, beauty, and figurative contexts. In beauty and tanning contexts, 'darken up' can refer to skin becoming more tanned. In atmospheric contexts, it suggests a threatening or dramatic change.
Commonly used with
Forms
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