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Noun: brownout  'brawn,awt
  1. Darkness resulting from the extinction of lights (as in a city invisible to enemy aircraft)
    "The coastal town practised brownouts during wartime";
    - blackout, dimout
     
  2. A low-voltage situation that occurs during periods of heavy electrical use, such as during hot periods when air conditioners are heavily used
    "The city experienced frequent brownouts during the summer heatwave"

Derived forms: brownouts

Type of: dark, darkness

Encyclopedia: Brownout