dark lantern

• dark lanthorn (obsolete), dark-lantern

dark lantern (plural dark lanterns)

1. (now chiefly historical) A lantern with a panel that slides to block the light.
   • 1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 37:

     “Yes,” continued the valet, “and sigh his soul to the last puff unobserved, liked the dying flame in a dark lanthorn.”

   • 1879, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, “With cat-like tread”, in The Pirates of Penzance  […], Philadelphia: J.M. Stoddart & Co., published 1880, →OCLC, page 35:

     Your silent matches, / Your dark-lantern seize; / Take your file and your skeleton keys!

   • 1891 [August], A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure II.—The Red-Headed League.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II (July to December), number [8], London: […], page 201, column 2:

     In the meantime, Mr. Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern.

   • 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 1022:

     The old monk who was the night-janitor of the monastery now appeared bearing in his hand a dark-lantern and a wattle basket with some fruit and a bowl of rice.