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noun
1.
Chiefly Military. a signal, usually by drum or bugle, that all or certain camp or barracks lights are to be extinguished for the night.
2.
.
[lahyt] /laɪt/
verb (used without object), lighted or lit, lighting.
1.
to get down or descend, as from a horse or a vehicle.
2.
to come to rest, as on a spot or thing; fall or settle upon; land:
The bird lighted on the branch. My eye lighted on some friends in the crowd.
3.
to come by chance; happen; hit (usually followed by on or upon):
to light on a clue; to light on an ideal picnic spot.
4.
to fall, as a stroke, weapon, vengeance, or choice, on a place or person:
The choice lighted upon our candidate.
Verb phrases
5.
light into, Informal. to make a vigorous physical or verbal attack on:
He would light into anyone with the slightest provocation.
6.
light out, Slang. to leave quickly; depart hurriedly:
He lit out of here as fast as his legs would carry him.
/laɪt/
noun
1.
the medium of illumination that makes sight possible
2.
Also called visible radiation. electromagnetic radiation that is capable of causing a visual sensation and has wavelengths from about 380 to about 780 nanometres
3.
(not in technical usage) electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength outside this range, esp ultraviolet radiation: ultraviolet light
4.
the sensation experienced when electromagnetic radiation within the visible spectrum falls on the retina of the eye related prefix photo-
5.
anything that illuminates, such as a lamp or candle
6.
See traffic light
7.
a particular quality or type of light: a good light for reading
8.

9.
anything that allows the entrance of light, such as a window or compartment of a window
10.
the condition of being visible or known (esp in the phrases bring or come to light)
11.
an aspect or view: he saw it in a different light
12.
mental understanding or spiritual insight
13.
a person considered to be an authority or leader
14.
brightness of countenance, esp a sparkle in the eyes
15.

16.
See lighthouse
17.

18.
a poetic or archaic word for eyesight
19.
the answer to a clue in a crossword
20.
in light of, in the light of, in view of; taking into account; considering
21.
light at the end of the tunnel, hope for the ending of a difficult or unpleasant situation
22.
out like a light, quickly asleep or unconscious
23.
see the light

24.
see the light, see the light of day

25.
shed light on, throw light on, to clarify or supply additional information on
26.
stand in a person’s light, to stand so as to obscure a person’s vision
27.
strike a light

adjective
28.
full of light; well-lighted
29.
(of a colour) reflecting or transmitting a large amount of light: light yellow Compare medium (sense 2), dark (sense 2)
30.
(phonetics) relating to or denoting an (l) pronounced with front vowel resonance; clear: the French “l” is much lighter than that of English See dark (sense 9)
verb lights, lighting, lighted, lit (lɪt)
31.
to ignite or cause to ignite
32.
(often foll by up) to illuminate or cause to illuminate
33.
to make or become cheerful or animated
34.
(transitive) to guide or lead by light
/laɪt/
adjective
1.
not heavy; weighing relatively little
2.
having relatively low density: magnesium is a light metal
3.
lacking sufficient weight; not agreeing with standard or official weights
4.
not great in degree, intensity, or number: light rain, a light eater
5.
without burdens, difficulties, or problems; easily borne or done: a light heart, light work
6.
graceful, agile, or deft: light fingers
7.
not bulky or clumsy
8.
not serious or profound; entertaining: light verse
9.
without importance or consequence; insignificant: no light matter
10.
frivolous or capricious
11.
loose in morals
12.
dizzy or unclear: a light head
13.
(of bread, cake, etc) spongy or well leavened
14.
easily digested: a light meal
15.
relatively low in alcoholic content: a light wine
16.
(of a soil) having a crumbly texture
17.
(of a vessel, lorry, etc)

18.
carrying light arms or equipment: light infantry
19.
(of an industry) engaged in the production of small consumer goods using light machinery Compare heavy (sense 10)
20.
(aeronautics) (of an aircraft) having a maximum take-off weight less than 5670 kilograms (12 500 pounds)
21.
(chem) (of an oil fraction obtained from coal tar) having a boiling range between about 100° and 210°C
22.
(of a railway) having a narrow gauge, or in some cases a standard gauge with speed or load restrictions not applied to a main line
23.
(bridge)

24.
(phonetics, prosody) (of a syllable, vowel, etc) unaccented or weakly stressed; short Compare heavy (sense 13) See also light1 (sense 30)
25.
(phonetics) the least of three levels of stress in an utterance, in such languages as English
26.
(informal) light on, lacking a sufficient quantity of (something)
27.
make light of, to treat as insignificant or trifling
adverb
28.
a less common word for lightly
29.
with little equipment, baggage, etc: to travel light
verb (intransitive) lights, lighting, lighted, lit (lɪt)
30.
(esp of birds) to settle or land after flight
31.
to get down from a horse, vehicle, etc
32.
foll by on or upon. to come upon unexpectedly
33.
to strike or fall on: the choice lighted on me
/laɪt/
noun
1.
God regarded as a source of illuminating grace and strength
2.
(Quakerism) short for Inner Light
noun
1.
the time when those resident at an institution, such as soldiers in barracks or children at a boarding school, are expected to retire to bed
2.
a fanfare or other signal indicating or signifying this
n.

“brightness, radiant energy,” Old English leht, earlier leoht “light, daylight; luminous, beautiful,” from West Germanic *leukhtam (cf. Old Saxon lioht, Old Frisian liacht, Middle Dutch lucht, Dutch licht, Old High German lioht, German Licht, Gothic liuhaþ “light”), from PIE *leuk- “light, brightness” (cf. Sanskrit rocate “shines;” Armenian lois “light,” lusin “moon;” Greek leukos “bright, shining, white;” Latin lucere “to shine,” lux “light,” lucidus “clear;” Old Church Slavonic luci “light;” Lithuanian laukas “pale;” Welsh llug “gleam, glimmer;” Old Irish loche “lightning,” luchair “brightness;” Hittite lukezi “is bright”).

The -gh- was an Anglo-French scribal attempt to render the Germanic hard -h- sound, which has since disappeared from this word. The figurative spiritual sense was in Old English; the sense of “mental illumination” is first recorded mid-15c. Meaning “something used for igniting” is from 1680s. Meaning “a consideration which puts something in a certain view (e.g. in light of) is from 1680s. Something that’s a joy and a delight has been the light of (someone’s) eyes since Old English:

Ðu eart dohtor min, minra eagna leoht [Juliana].

To see the light “come into the world” is from 1680s; later in a Christian sense.

adj.

“not heavy,” from Old English leoht “not heavy, light in weight; easy, trifling; quick, agile,” from Proto-Germanic *lingkhtaz (cf. Old Norse lettr, Swedish lätt, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch licht, German leicht, Gothic leihts), from PIE root *legwh- “not heavy, having little weight” (cf. Latin levis “light,” Old Irish lu “small;” see lever).

The notion in make light of (1520s) is of “unimportance.” Alternative spelling lite, the darling of advertisers, is first recorded 1962. The adverb is Old English leohte, from the adjective. Light-skirts “woman of easy virtue” is attested from 1590s. To make light of is from 1520s.

“not dark,” Old English leoht, common Germanic (cf. Old Saxon and Old High German lioht, Old Frisian liacht, German licht “bright,” from the source of Old English leoht (see light (n.)). Meaning “pale-hued” is from 1540s.
v.

“touch down,” from Old English lihtan “to alight; alleviate, leave,” from Proto-Germanic *linkhtijan, literally “to make light,” from *lingkhtaz “not heavy” (see light (adj.1)). Apparently the ground sense is “to dismount a horse, etc., and thus relieve it of one’s weight.” To light out “leave hastily” is 1870, from a nautical meaning “move out, move heavy objects,” of unknown origin but perhaps belonging to this word (cf. lighter (n.1)).

“to illuminate, fill with brightness,” Old English lyhtan, common Germanic (cf. Old Saxon liohtian, Old High German liuhtan, German leuchten, Gothic liuhtjan “to light”), from source of from light (n.). Related: Lighted; lighting.

light (līt)
n.

light
(līt)

The type of electromagnetic wave that is visible to the human eye. Visible light runs along a spectrum from the short wavelengths of violet to the longer wavelengths of red. (See photon.)

Related Terms

the green light, idiot light, out like a light, redlight

noun phrase

Related Terms

punch someone’s lights out, shoot the lights out

the offspring of the divine command (Gen. 1:3). “All the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse were habitually described among the Hebrews under imagery derived from light” (1 Kings 11:36; Isa. 58:8; Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11). Light came also naturally to typify true religion and the felicity it imparts (Ps. 119:105; Isa. 8:20; Matt. 4:16, etc.), and the glorious inheritance of the redeemed (Col. 1:12; Rev. 21:23-25). God is said to dwell in light inaccessible (1 Tim. 6:16). It frequently signifies instruction (Matt. 5:16; John 5:35). In its highest sense it is applied to Christ as the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2; Luke 2:32; John 1:7-9). God is styled “the Father of lights” (James 1:17). It is used of angels (2 Cor. 11:14), and of John the Baptist, who was a “burning and a shining light” (John 5:35), and of all true disciples, who are styled “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).