dark side
- noun
- How could you turn to the dark side of science?
- dark side of human nature
- reveal the dark side
- dark side of globalization
You remain a light on the dark side of me.
- You remain a light on the dark side of me.
- And we know that Anakin goes to the dark side and Luke stays in the light.
- So tell me about your dark side and where and what it came from.
- It had its dark side as well, the Midway Plaisance.
- I'm done and I've gone to the dark side.
- Ultimately, most narcissistic folks will show you their dark side if you stick around long enough.
- So I think it's good to always point out these potential dark sides of, of any aspect.
- But as Star Wars taught us, there's power on the dark side and understanding how to leverage that.
- And how does he get to the dark side thinking?
Examples
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Well, Mr. Sleepyhead must have some major ties to the dark side.
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The dark side of ambition.
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You know, this is the dark side of the light.
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So tell me about your dark side and where and what it came from.
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I like the dark side more than the right side.
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I have just as much of a dark side as the next person.
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Before you say anything, let me just say that Jane has a tendency to look on the dark side of things.
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Ultimately, most narcissistic folks will show you their dark side if you stick around long enough.
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We often acknowledge that humans have a hidden "dark side" that comes out to play, hurting others.
Academic text (2011) -
Many people are unaware of the dark side of fame and how it can affect a person's mental health.
Synonyms
Bad actions or a force that harms people
A state where people act in evil or harmful ways
A state of being morally wrong or evil
Very bad actions that hurt other people
A quality of doing very bad things and wanting to harm people
A wish to hurt or make other people suffer
Very evil behaviour that harms other people
The dark side of something, like crime or loneliness
Being very bad and cruel to other people
How Evil
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound meaning ('negative, morally questionable aspect') is built from 'dark' (metaphorically negative/evil) + 'side' (an aspect), so a learner who recognizes the metaphorical use of 'dark' can immediately derive the sense. However, the meaning relies on a figurative extension of 'dark' (not purely literal), so learners who only know the concrete sense of 'dark' may not infer it without exposure; the pattern is common cross-linguistically, making it partly but not fully transparent.
Etymology
Dark side may come from the simple picture of a part of something that is in shadow: the dark side of the moon is hidden from view. So, people use it for the 'negative' or 'hidden' parts of a person, thing, or situation.