benighted

Overtaken by night; especially of a traveller, etc.: caught out by oncoming night before reaching one's destination.obsoletepoetic

• I recollect well losing the goodwill of my old grandmother by allowing a benighted wagoner to light his lantern while her back was turned, […]

Plunged into darkness.obsolete

• Rob the Spheare of lines vnited, / Make a ſuddaine voide in nature: / Force the day to be benighted, / Reaue the cauſe of time and creature.
• Still we wait for thine Appearing, / Life and Joy thy Beams impart, / Chaſing all our Fears, and chearing / Ev'ry poor benighted Heart: […]

Lacking education or knowledge; unenlightened; also, lacking morality; immoral, unscrupulous.figuratively

• Where art thou, poor benighted Traveller! / The Stars will light thee; tho' the Moon ſhould fail. / Where art Thou, more benighted! more aſtray! / In Ways immoral? The Stars call thee back; / And, if obey'd their Counſel, ſet thee right.
• A radiant morn of light and happineſs then dawned upon this benighted land, yielding the joyous earneſt of a future reſplendent day.

Difficult to understand; abstruse, obscure.figurativelyobsolete

• [O]thers, held very good men, are at a dead ſtand, not knovving vvhat to doe or ſay; and are therefore called Seekers, looking for nevv Nuntio's from Chriſt, to aſſoil theſe benighted queſtions, and to give nevv Orders for nevv Churches.

simple past and past participle of benightform-ofparticiplepast