n. [ Ir. & Gael. babhun inclosure, bulwark. ] 1. An inclosure with mud or stone walls, for keeping cattle; a fortified inclosure. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A large house. [ Obs. ] Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The break of day; the first appearance of light in the morning; show of approaching sunrise. [ 1913 Webster ]

And oft at dawn, deep noon, or falling eve. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

No sun, no moon, no morn, no noon,
No dawn, no dusk, no proper time of day. Hood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. First opening or expansion; first appearance; beginning; rise. “The dawn of time.” Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

These tender circumstances diffuse a dawn of serenity over the soul. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Dawned p. pr. & vb. n. Dawning. ] [ OE. dawnen, dawen, dagen, daien, AS. dagian to become day, to dawn, fr. dæg day; akin to D. dagen, G. tagen, Icel. daga, Dan. dages, Sw. dagas. See Day. √71. ] 1. To begin to grow light in the morning; to grow light; to break, or begin to appear; as, the day dawns; the morning dawns. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene . . . to see the sepulcher. Matt. xxviii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To began to give promise; to begin to appear or to expand. “In dawning youth.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

When life awakes, and dawns at every line. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid. Heber, [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the first light of day; dawn.
Syn. -- dawn, morning, aurora, first light, daybreak, break of day, break of the day, dayspring, sunrise, sunup, cockcrow. [ WordNet 1.5 ]