dark thirty
Still pitch black
Dark thirty is military and informal slang for an unspecified time when it's dark outside—either very early morning or late night.
The "thirty" mimics military time notation without specifying an actual hour: We're rolling out at dark thirty, I've been up since dark thirty.
It emphasizes the ungodly earliness or lateness rather than a precise time.
Concealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- raidSudden armed incursion
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
nightfall · stealth · undercover · black ops · insertion · extraction · surveillance · reconnaissance
Scheduled start of action
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
- briefingConcise information session
- missionPurpose-driven task
- night visionAbility to see dimly
reconnaissance · platoon · muster · reveille · formation · PT · roll call · wake-up
Day's first glow
- twilightLight after sunset
- pre-dawnTime before daylight
- first lightEarliest morning brightness
- wee hoursEarly morning period
reveille · bleary-eyed · sleepy · awakening · stillness · alarm clock · coffee · grogginess
clandestine
Concealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- raidSudden armed incursion
ambush · nightfall · stealth · undercover · black ops · insertion · extraction · surveillance · reconnaissance · special ops
zero hour
Scheduled start of action
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
- briefingConcise information session
- missionPurpose-driven task
night vision · reconnaissance · platoon · muster · reveille · formation · PT · roll call · wake-up · barracks
dawn
Day's first glow
- twilightLight after sunset
- pre-dawnTime before daylight
- first lightEarliest morning brightness
wee hours · reveille · bleary-eyed · sleepy · awakening · stillness · alarm clock · coffee · grogginess · crack of dawn
dark thirtybroad daylight
Fully visible daytime conditions
high noon · midday · noon · daylight hours · bright and early
dark, thirty, darker, darkest, darken, darkened, darkening, darkness, darkly