[app. evolved, through syntactical ambiguity, from clauses such as forto (= until), tofore, or before the sun rise, where orig. forto, etc., are conjunctions and rise a verb in the subjunctive; cf.:—
13[?]. K. Alis., 5733 (Laud MS.). Men … token hem þer herberewe Forto þe sonne ryse amorowe.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. xxvi. (1495), D v b/1. They ben huntyd tofore the sonne ryse; Bodl. MS. lf. 136/1. Bifore þe sonne riseþ; orig. ante ascensum solis.]
The rising, or apparent ascent above the horizon, of the sun at the beginning of the day; the time when the sun rises, the opening of day. Also, the display of light or color in the sky at this time.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 484/1. Sunne ryse [A. sunne ryst], or rysynge of þe sunne.
1530. Palsgr., 272/2. Sonne ryse, solail leuant.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. ii. 153. True prayers, That shall be vp at heauen, and enter there Ere Sunne rise.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1597. The gates I enter’d with Sunrise.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., iv. By sunrise we all assembled in our common apartment.
1820. W. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 34. After sun-rise, the surface of the snow is apt to become soft.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 209. The glory of the sunrise augmented by contrast.
1864. Tennyson, En. Ard., 599. The scarlet shafts of sunrise.
1908. [Miss Fowler], Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 157. I have never seen so rich and warm a sunrise.
fig. 1823. Scott, Quentin D., x. The first dawn of the arts, which preceded their splendid sunrise.
b. attrib., as sunrise flush; sunrise-gun, a gun fired at sunrise. Also quasi-adj. = easterly, eastern.
1809. Campbell, Gert. Wyom., II. v. The sunrise path at morn I see thee trace.
1872. Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., 367/1. After the sunrise-gun had boomed.
1876. ‘Ouida,’ Winter City, ix. 273. With the sunrise flush touching her cheek.
1894. Mrs. A. Berlyn (title), Sunrise-Land. Rambles in Eastern England.
