in the dark

• enPR: ĭn thə därk
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə dɑːk/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə dɑɹk/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə dɐːk/

  Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ən ðə dɐːk/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ɪn ðə daɹk/
• (India) IPA^(key): /ɪn d̪e ɖaːʳk/
• Hyphenation: in the dark

in the dark

1. (idiomatic) Without information.

   Management kept the board of directors completely in the dark.

   They remained in the dark until the newspaper story came out.

   • 1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:

     You must remember, Mr Atherton, that I am wholly in the dark as to what has happened.

   • 1983, James C. H. Shen, “Beginnings of Endings”, in Robert Myers, editor, The U.S. & Free China: How the U.S. Sold Out Its Ally‎^[1], Washington, D.C.: Acropolis Books Ltd., →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 18:

     Until two or three days before Carter's December 15 announcement, the State Department spokesman was still saying that no decisions had been reached on the timing and the modality for normalization of relations with Peking. Meanwhile, the administration had been keeping Congress, including its leadership, completely in the dark. Then, taking advantage of the Christmas holidays, during which no one was watching on Capitol Hill, Carter sprang his surprise.

2. (poker slang) (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:) Without looking at one's hole cards, thus not knowing what they are. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see in,‎ the,‎ dark; without light, somewhere that is dark.

   I tripped over his suitcase in the dark.