Alighting

to dismount from a horse, descend from a vehicle, etc.
to settle or stay after descending:
the bird alighted on the tree.
to encounter or notice something accidentally.
contemporary examples

kalman has a way of alighting on a moment in history, and animating it with personal details, both true and imagined.
maira kalman at the jewish museum: interview casey schwartz may 18, 2011

historical examples

saying which she turned a somersault off the woozy and, alighting on her feet, began wildly dancing about.
the lost princess of oz l. frank baum

the dear creature was no less shy when the widow first accosted her at her alighting.
clarissa, volume 3 (of 9) samuel richardson

he slipped sidewise on alighting, jarred his elbow, and bruised his leg.
a gentleman player robert neilson stephens

through a gl-ss, perhaps, even its alighting had been watched.
astounding stories of super-science, august 1930 various

at a height of several thousand feet in the air, he freed himself and descended gradually, alighting gently upon the earth.
the romance of aircraft lawrence yard smith

again it circled, anxiously, now, as if the time for alighting were short.
astounding stories of super-science, june, 1930 various

we had scarcely arrived when a frigidus appeared on the scene, alighting six feet away.
wasps george w. peckham

then, alighting, they lashed at each other with their swords.
king arthur’s knights henry gilbert

as it drew into the station, they eagerly scanned the alighting p-ssengers.
the radio boys at the sending station allen chapman

verb (intransitive) alights, alighting, alighted, alit
(usually foll by from) to step out (of) or get down (from): to alight from a taxi
to come to rest; settle; land: a thrush alighted on the wall
adjective, adverb (postpositive)
burning; on fire
illuminated; lit up
v.

“to descend, dismount,” old english alihtan, originally “to lighten, take off, take away,” from a- “down, aside” (see a- (1)) + lihtan “get off, make light” (see light (v.)). the notion is of getting down off a horse or vehicle, thus lightening it. of aircraft (originally balloons) from 1786. related: alighted; alighting.
adj.

“on fire,” early 15c., apparently from middle english aliht, past participle of alihton (old english on-lihtan) “to light up,” also “to shine upon” (see light (n.)).