demi-jour

Here he found himself almost equally helpless; for what male wit is adequate to the thousand little coquetries practised in such arrangements? how can masculine eyes judge of the degree of demi-jour which is to be admitted into a decorated apartment, or discriminate where the broad light should be suffered to fall on a tolerable picture, where it should be excluded, lest the stiff daub of a periwigged grandsire should become too rigidly prominent?

Saint Ronan's Well 2008

"Romany," he may be sure that man is rather more on the loose than becomes a steady citizen, and that he walks in ways which, if not of darkness, are at least in a shady _demi-jour_, with a gentle down grade.

The Gypsies Charles Godfrey Leland 1863

Here he found himself almost equally helpless; for what male wit is adequate to the thousand little coquetries practised in such arrangements? how can masculine eyes judge of the degree of _demi-jour_ which is to be admitted into a decorated apartment, or discriminate where the broad light should be suffered to fall on a tolerable picture, where it should be excluded, lest the stiff daub of a periwigged grandsire should become too rigidly prominent?

St. Ronan's Well Walter Scott 1801

If there be any magnetism in isolated attention, any in steadfast gazing, any in passes of the hand hither and thither -- if there be any magic in _ce doux demi-jour_ so loved in France, in stuff for flattery ready pointed and feathered, in freedom of admiration, "and all in the way of business" -- then is a lovable sitter to a love-like painter in "parlous" vicinity (as the new school would phrase it) to sweet heart-land!

Stories by American Authors (Volume 4) Nathaniel Parker Willis 1875

Nous avons maintenant droit à un demi-jour de lessive, et on me dit le soir d’avant qui n’est pas vraiment le soir d’avant, si vous regardez plus haut comment ça fonctionne, c’est en fait le début de mon “tour” qu’il faut que je m’organise avec l’autre locataire pour le partage de la machine?

Vive les jours de lessive! — Climb to the Stars 2006