[I] (often with it as subject 常用it作主语) begin to grow light 破晓: It was dawning as we left. 我们离开时天开始亮了. * When day dawned, we could see the damage the storm had caused. 天亮时, 我们可以看到风暴造成的灾害. 
[I, Ipr] ~ (on sb) gradually become clear to sb's mind; become evident (to sb) （某人）逐渐明白: It finally dawned (on me) that he had been lying. 最後（我）才明白他一直在撒谎. * The truth began to dawn on him. 他开始弄明白真相.