A partial reduction of lights or lighting, especially as a precautionary measure during wartime to avoid aerial detection.
From 'dim' plus 'out'—combining the verb with a directional particle. The term emerged during World War II when cities reduced lights to avoid bombing, less severe than a complete blackout.
During WWII, dimout was the strategic middle ground between normal city lights and total blackout—dim enough that bombers couldn't easily see targets at night, but bright enough that people could still function and not cause accidents from complete darkness.
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