这些形容词都含有“完全地或不完全地缺少光亮”之意。
dark : 最普通用词，指缺乏自然光线或人工照明，使某物漆黑无光或光线十分微弱。
- It was too dark to see much.
光线太暗，看不清楚。 - What time does it get dark in the summer?
夏季天什么时候黑？ - Our bedroom was very dark until we put a larger window in.
我们的卧室原来很暗，后来装了一个大点的窗户才好些。
dim : 指光线不足或视力较差，不能清晰地看见物体。
- The lamp gave out a dim light.
那盏灯发出暗淡的光芒。 - He sat in a dim corner of the waiting room.
他坐在候车室一个昏暗的角落里。 - We could see a dim (= not easily seen) shape in the fog.
在雾中我们可以看见一个模模糊糊的影子。
black : 侧重颜色是黑色的，有时也指无光的黑暗。
- a shiny black car
发亮的黑汽车 - black storm clouds
带来暴风雨的乌云 - a black night
漆黑的夜晚
gloomy : 指光线不足或部分光线受阻而出现的阴暗。
- What gloomy weather we're having!
今天天气太阴沉了！ - We waited in a gloomy waiting room.
我们在阴暗的候车室里等着。
obscure : 指因光线不充足而使物体灰暗不清，失去光泽或若隐若现。作借喻时指因复杂、深奥或含糊而难于理解。
- Two new skyscrapers had sprung up, obscuring the view from her window.
两座新摩天大楼拔地而起，挡住了她窗外的风景。 - The sun was obscured by clouds.
太阳被云层遮住了。
vague : 通常作借喻用，形容抽象事物。
- Through the mist I could just make out a vague figure.
透过雾霭，我只能看到一个模糊的身影。 - In the darkness they could see the vague outline of a church.
他们在黑暗中能看到一座教堂的朦胧轮廓。 - to have a vague impression/memory/recollection of sth
对某事印象 / 记忆模糊 - They had only a vague idea where the place was.
他们只是大概知道那个地方的位置。
grey与dark意思相近，但侧重阴暗单调的意味。
- a grey sky
灰暗的天空 - Night turned into morning, grey and cold.
黎明驱走夜色，天气阴沉而寒冷。 - I hate these grey days.
我讨厌这阴沉沉的天气。
