dawn on
Verb
Meaning
dawn on (third-person singular simple present dawns on, present participle dawning on, simple past and past participle dawned on)
(idiomatic, of an idea) To occur to somebody; to be realized.
It finally dawned on him that he could automate the process instead of doing it by hand each time.
Synonyms
Examples
After receiving the order to commence the operation, the U-boat moved to a position convert east of May Island at dawn on 31 May.
At dawn on November 4, a strong German counter-attack by tanks of the 116th Panzer Division and a chance encirclement by troops from the 89th Infantry Division rapidly expelled the 3rd Battalion from Schmidt, and they were unable to counter-attack.
By dawn on 24 October, paths still had not been cleared through the second minefield to release 22nd and 4th Light Armoured Brigades into the open to make their planned turn north into the rear of enemy positions convert west of Deir el Munassib.
At dawn on Beltane, maidens would roll in the dew or wash their faces with it.
At dawn on April 6, clashes between strike activists and police, outside a police station in Pulchok ( Patan ), left two activists dead.
Biggest sensation of the race came just before dawn on the third day, when burly Lieutenant Scott and dapper Captain Black flew their scarlet Comet into Darwin.