| English Dictionary |
LIGHT (lit)
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does Light mean?
• LIGHT (noun)
The noun LIGHT has 15 senses:
1. (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
2. any device serving as a source of illumination
3. a particular perspective or aspect of a situation
4. the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light
5. an illuminated area
6. a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
7. the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures
8. a person regarded very fondly
9. having abundant light or illumination
10. mental understanding as an enlightening experience
11. merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance
12. public awareness
13. a divine presence believed by Quakers to enlighten and guide the soul
14. a visual warning signal
15. a device for lighting or igniting fuel or charges or fires
Familiarity information: LIGHT used as a noun is familiar.
• LIGHT (adjective)
The adjective LIGHT has 25 senses:
1. of comparatively little physical weight or density
2. (used of color) having a relatively small amount of coloring agent
3. of the military or industry; using (or being) relatively small or light arms or equipment
4. not great in degree or quantity or number
5. psychologically light; especially free from sadness or troubles
6. characterized by or emitting light
7. (used of vowels or syllables) pronounced with little or no stress
8. easily assimilated in the alimentary canal; not rich or heavily seasoned
9. (used of soil) loose and large-grained in consistency
10. (of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims
11. moving easily and quickly; nimble
12. demanding little effort; not burdensome
13. of little intensity or power or force
14. (physics, chemistry) not having atomic weight greater than average
15. weak and likely to lose consciousness
16. very thin and insubstantial
17. marked by temperance in indulgence
18. less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
19. having little importance
20. intended primarily as entertainment; not serious or profound
21. silly or trivial
22. designed for ease of movement or to carry little weight
23. having relatively few calories
24. (of sleep) easily disturbed
25. casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
Familiarity information: LIGHT used as an adjective is very familiar.
• LIGHT (verb)
The verb LIGHT has 7 senses:
1. make lighter or brighter
2. begin to smoke
3. to come to rest, settle
4. cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat
5. fall to somebody by assignment or lot
6. alight from (a horse)
7. start or maintain a fire in
Familiarity information: LIGHT used as a verb is common.
• LIGHT (adverb)
The adverb LIGHT has 1 sense:
1. with few burdens
Familiarity information: LIGHT used as an adverb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
(physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
Synonyms:
light; visible light; visible radiation
Context example:
the light was filtered through a soft glass window
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
actinic radiation; actinic ray (electromagnetic radiation that can produce photochemical reactions)
Domain category:
natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "light"):
glow; incandescence (the phenomenon of light emission by a body as its temperature is raised)
lamplight (light from a lamp)
luminescence (light not due to incandescence; occurs at low temperatures)
meteor; shooting star (a streak of light in the sky at night that results when a meteoroid hits the earth's atmosphere and air friction causes the meteoroid to melt or vaporize or explode)
Moon; moonlight; moonshine (the light of the Moon)
starlight (the light of the stars)
sun; sunlight; sunshine (the rays of the sun)
scintillation ((physics) a flash of light that is produced in a phosphor when it absorbs a photon or ionizing particle)
streamer (light that streams)
torchlight (light from a torch or torches)
twilight (the diffused light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon but its rays are refracted by the atmosphere of the earth)
candle flame; candlelight (the light provided by a burning candle)
glow (a steady even light without flames)
beam; beam of light; irradiation; light beam; ray; ray of light; shaft; shaft of light (a column of light (as from a beacon))
corona (one or more circles of light seen around a luminous object)
counterglow; gegenschein (a faint spot of light in the night sky that appears directly opposite the position of the sun; a reflection of sunlight by micrometeoric material in space)
daylight (light during the daytime)
firelight (the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace))
fluorescence (light emitted during absorption of radiation of some other (invisible) wavelength)
friar's lantern; ignis fatuus; jack-o'-lantern; will-o'-the-wisp (a pale light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground)
gaslight (light yielded by the combustion of illuminating gas)
glow; glowing; radiance (the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface)
half-light (a greyish light (as at dawn or dusk or in dim interiors))
Holonyms ("light" is a part of...):
electromagnetic spectrum (the entire frequency range of electromagnetic waves)
Derivation:
light (make lighter or brighter)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Any device serving as a source of illumination
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
light; light source
Context example:
he stopped the car and turned off the lights
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
source of illumination (any device serving as a source of visible electromagnetic radiation)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "light"):
blinker; flasher (a light that flashes on and off; used as a signal or to send messages)
anchor light; riding lamp; riding light (a light in the rigging of a ship that is riding at anchor)
torch (a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance)
theater light (any of various lights used in a theater)
strip lighting (light consisting of long tubes (instead of bulbs) that provide the illumination)
running light; sidelight (light carried by a boat that indicates the boat's direction; vessels at night carry a red light on the port bow and a green light on the starboard bow)
searchlight (a light source with reflectors that projects a beam of light in a particular direction)
sconce (a candle or flaming torch secured in a sconce)
room light (light that provides general illumination for a room)
panel light (a light to illuminate an instrument panel)
night-light (light (as a candle or small bulb) that burns in a bedroom at night (as for children or invalids))
navigation light (light on an airplane that indicates the plane's position and orientation; red light on the left (port) wing tip and green light on the right (starboard) wing tip)
jacklight (a light used as a lure in hunting or fishing at night)
houselights (lights that illuminate the audience's part of a theater or other auditorium)
headlamp; headlight (a powerful light with reflector; attached to the front of an automobile or locomotive)
flood; flood lamp; floodlight; photoflood (light that is a source of artificial illumination having a broad beam; used in photography)
fairy light (a small colored light used for decoration (especially at Christmas))
Derivation:
light (make lighter or brighter)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A particular perspective or aspect of a situation
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Context example:
although he saw it in a different light, he still did not understand
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
perspective; position; view (a way of regarding situations or topics etc.)
Sense 4
Meaning:
The quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
brightness; brightness level; light; luminance; luminosity; luminousness
Context example:
its luminosity is measured relative to that of our sun
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
physical property (any property used to characterize matter and energy and their interactions)
Attribute:
bright (emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts)
dull (emitting or reflecting very little light)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "light"):
illuminance; illumination (the luminous flux incident on a unit area)
incandescence (light from heat)
glow; luminescence (light from nonthermal sources)
Derivation:
light (make lighter or brighter)
Sense 5
Meaning:
An illuminated area
Classified under:
Nouns denoting spatial position
Context example:
he stepped into the light
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
scene (the place where some action occurs)
Derivation:
light (make lighter or brighter)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
illumination; light
Context example:
follow God's light
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
condition; status (a state at a particular time)
Sense 7
Meaning:
The visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
light; lightness
Context example:
he could paint the lightest light and the darkest dark
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
visual property (an attribute of vision)
Attribute:
light (characterized by or emitting light)
dark (devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "light"):
aura; aureole; gloriole; glory; halo; nimbus (an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint)
sunniness (lightness created by sunlight)
highlight; highlighting (an area of lightness in a picture)
brightness (the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white)
Derivation:
light (make lighter or brighter)
Sense 8
Meaning:
A person regarded very fondly
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Context example:
the light of my life
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
friend (a person you know well and regard with affection and trust)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Having abundant light or illumination
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
light; lighting
Context example:
as long as the lighting was good
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
illumination (the degree of visibility of your environment)
Antonym:
dark (absence of light or illumination)
Derivation:
light (make lighter or brighter)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Mental understanding as an enlightening experience
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Context example:
can you shed light on this problem?
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
brainstorm; brainwave; insight (the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation)
Sense 11
Meaning:
Merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
light; spark; sparkle; twinkle
Context example:
there's a perpetual twinkle in his eyes
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
verve; vitality (an energetic style)
aspect; expression; face; facial expression; look (the feelings expressed on a person's face)
Sense 12
Meaning:
Public awareness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Context example:
it brought the scandal to light
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
general knowledge; public knowledge (knowledge that is available to anyone)
Sense 13
Meaning:
A divine presence believed by Quakers to enlighten and guide the soul
Classified under:
Nouns denoting goals
Synonyms:
Christ Within; Inner Light; Light; Light Within
Hypernyms ("Light" is a kind of...):
ethical motive; ethics; morality; morals (motivation based on ideas of right and wrong)
Sense 14
Meaning:
A visual warning signal
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Context example:
there was a light at every corner
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
visual signal (a signal that involves visual communication)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "light"):
stoplight; traffic light; traffic signal (a visual signal to control the flow of traffic at intersections)
Sense 15
Meaning:
A device for lighting or igniting fuel or charges or fires
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
igniter; ignitor; light; lighter
Context example:
do you have a light?
Hypernyms ("light" is a kind of...):
device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "light"):
match (a burning piece of wood or cardboard)
friction match; lucifer; match (lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction)
fuse; fusee; fuze; fuzee; primer; priming (any igniter that is used to initiate the burning of a propellant)
cigar lighter; cigarette lighter; pocket lighter (a lighter for cigars or cigarettes)
Derivation:
light (begin to smoke)
light (cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat)
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: lightest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Of comparatively little physical weight or density
Context example:
magnesium is a light metal--having a specific gravity of 1.74 at 20 degrees C
Similar:
lightweight (weighing relatively little compared with another item or object of similar use)
airy (having little or no perceptible weight; so light as to resemble air)
buoyant; floaty (tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas)
lighter-than-air (relating to a balloon or other aircraft that flies because it weighs less than the air it displaces)
low-density (having low relative density or specific gravity)
Attribute:
weight (the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity)
Antonym:
heavy (of comparatively great physical weight or density)
Derivation:
lightness (the property of being comparatively small in weight)
Sense 2
Meaning:
(used of color) having a relatively small amount of coloring agent
Synonyms:
light; light-colored
Context example:
a light-colored powder
Similar:
pale (very light colored; highly diluted with white)
palish (slightly pale)
pastel (delicate and pale in color)
powdery (as if dulled in color with a sprinkling of powder)
Also:
white (being of the achromatic color of maximum lightness; having little or no hue owing to reflection of almost all incident light)
Attribute:
value (relative darkness or lightness of a color)
Antonym:
dark ((used of color) having a dark hue)
Derivation:
lightness (having a light color)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Of the military or industry; using (or being) relatively small or light arms or equipment
Context example:
light weapons
Similar:
light-armed; lightly-armed (armed with light weapons)
Antonym:
heavy (of the military or industry; using (or being) the heaviest and most powerful armaments or weapons or equipment)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Not great in degree or quantity or number
Context example:
light smoke from the chimney
Antonym:
heavy (unusually great in degree or quantity or number)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Psychologically light; especially free from sadness or troubles
Context example:
a light heart
Similar:
casual; fooling (characterized by a feeling of irresponsibility)
Antonym:
heavy (marked by great psychological weight; weighted down especially with sadness or troubles or weariness)
Derivation:
lightness (a feeling of joy and pride)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Characterized by or emitting light
Context example:
the inside of the house was airy and light
Similar:
ablaze; inflamed; reddened (lighted with red light as if with flames)
autofluorescent (emitting light via self-induced fluorescence)
bioluminescent ((of living organisms) emitting light)
bright (having lots of light either natural or artificial)
candescent (glowing from great heat)
floodlighted; floodlit (illuminated by means of floodlights)
fluorescent (emitting light during exposure to radiation from an external source)
illuminated; lighted; lit; well-lighted (provided with artificial light)
candent; incandescent (emitting light as a result of being heated)
lamplit (lighted by a lamp)
lighting-up (turning lights on)
livid ((of a light) imparting a deathlike luminosity)
luminescent (emitting light not caused by heat)
phosphorescent (emitting light without appreciable heat as by slow oxidation of phosphorous)
sunlit; sunstruck (lighted by sunlight)
white (of summer nights in northern latitudes where the sun barely sets)
Attribute:
light; lightness (the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures)
Antonym:
dark (devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black)
Derivation:
lightness (the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures)
Sense 7
Meaning:
(used of vowels or syllables) pronounced with little or no stress
Synonyms:
light; unaccented; weak
Context example:
a weak stress on the second syllable
Similar:
unstressed (not bearing a stress or accent)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Easily assimilated in the alimentary canal; not rich or heavily seasoned
Context example:
a light diet
Similar:
digestible (capable of being converted into assimilable condition in the alimentary canal)
Sense 9
Meaning:
(used of soil) loose and large-grained in consistency
Context example:
light soil
Similar:
loose (not compact or dense in structure or arrangement)
Derivation:
lightness (the property of being comparatively small in weight)
Sense 10
Meaning:
(of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims
Synonyms:
clean; clear; light; unclouded
Context example:
a light lilting voice like a silver bell
Similar:
pure (free of extraneous elements of any kind)
Sense 11
Meaning:
Moving easily and quickly; nimble
Synonyms:
Context example:
walked with a light tripping step
Similar:
light-footed ((of movement) having a light and springy step)
Derivation:
lightness (the gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble)
Sense 12
Meaning:
Demanding little effort; not burdensome
Context example:
light exercise
Similar:
undemanding (requiring little if any patience or effort or skill)
Sense 13
Meaning:
Of little intensity or power or force
Context example:
a light breeze
Similar:
easy; gentle; soft (having little impact)
Antonym:
heavy (of great intensity or power or force)
Sense 14
Meaning:
(physics, chemistry) not having atomic weight greater than average
Context example:
light water is ordinary water
Domain category:
chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)
Antonym:
heavy ((physics, chemistry) being or containing an isotope with greater than average atomic mass or weight)
Sense 15
Meaning:
Weak and likely to lose consciousness
Synonyms:
faint; light; light-headed; lightheaded; swooning
Context example:
light-headed from lack of sleep
Similar:
ill; sick (affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function)
Sense 16
Meaning:
Very thin and insubstantial
Context example:
light summer dresses
Similar:
thin (of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section)
Derivation:
lightness (the property of being comparatively small in weight)
Sense 17
Meaning:
Marked by temperance in indulgence
Synonyms:
abstemious; light
Context example:
ate a light supper
Similar:
temperate (not extreme in behavior)
Sense 18
Meaning:
Less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
Synonyms:
Context example:
regularly gives short weight
Similar:
deficient; insufficient (of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement)
Sense 19
Meaning:
Having little importance
Context example:
losing his job was no light matter
Similar:
insignificant; unimportant (devoid of importance, meaning, or force)
Sense 20
Meaning:
Intended primarily as entertainment; not serious or profound
Context example:
a light comedy
Similar:
frivolous (not serious in content or attitude or behavior)
Derivation:
lightness (the trait of being lighthearted and frivolous)
Sense 21
Meaning:
Silly or trivial
Synonyms:
idle; light
Context example:
light idle chatter
Similar:
frivolous (not serious in content or attitude or behavior)
Derivation:
lightness (the trait of being lighthearted and frivolous)
Sense 22
Meaning:
Designed for ease of movement or to carry little weight
Context example:
a light truck
Similar:
light-duty (not designed for heavy work)
Sense 23
Meaning:
Having relatively few calories
Synonyms:
calorie-free; light; lite; low-cal
Context example:
a low-cal diet
Similar:
fat-free; fatless; nonfat (without fat or fat solids)
Sense 24
Meaning:
(of sleep) easily disturbed
Synonyms:
light; wakeful
Context example:
a restless wakeful night
Similar:
shallow (not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply)
Sense 25
Meaning:
Casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
Synonyms:
easy; light; loose; promiscuous; sluttish; wanton
Context example:
wanton behavior
Similar:
unchaste (not chaste)
| Conjugation: |
... he / she / it lights Past simple: lighted
/ lit Past participle: lighted
/ lit -ing form: lighting
Sense 1
Meaning:
Make lighter or brighter
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
illume; illuminate; illumine; light; light up
Context example:
This lamp lightens the room a bit
Hypernyms (to "light" is one way to...):
lighten; lighten up (become lighter)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "light"):
floodlight (illuminate with floodlights)
spotlight (illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
light (any device serving as a source of illumination)
light (the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures)
light (the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light)
light (an illuminated area)
light ((physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation)
light (having abundant light or illumination)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Begin to smoke
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Synonyms:
Context example:
After the meal, some of the diners lit up
Hypernyms (to "light" is one way to...):
ignite; light (cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat)
"Light" entails doing...:
smoke (inhale and exhale smoke from cigarettes, cigars, pipes)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
light (a device for lighting or igniting fuel or charges or fires)
Sense 3
Meaning:
To come to rest, settle
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
Context example:
Misfortune lighted upon him
Hypernyms (to "light" is one way to...):
land; set down (reach or come to rest)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 4
Meaning:
Cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat
Classified under:
Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering
Synonyms:
ignite; light
Context example:
Light a cigarette
Hypernyms (to "light" is one way to...):
burn; combust (cause to burn or combust)
Cause:
burn; combust (undergo combustion)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "light"):
fire up; light; light up (begin to smoke)
reignite (ignite anew, as of something burning)
conflagrate; enkindle; inflame; kindle (cause to start burning)
light up (ignite)
flare up (ignite quickly and suddenly, especially after having died down)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
lighter (a substance used to ignite or kindle a fire)
light; lighter (a device for lighting or igniting fuel or charges or fires)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Fall to somebody by assignment or lot
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
fall; light
Context example:
It fell to me to notify the parents of the victims
Hypernyms (to "light" is one way to...):
devolve; fall; pass; return (be inherited by)
Verb group:
accrue; fall (come into the possession of)
fall (to be given by assignment or distribution)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Sense 6
Meaning:
Alight from (a horse)
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
dismount; get down; get off; light; unhorse
Hypernyms (to "light" is one way to...):
come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)
Domain category:
horseback riding; riding (travel by being carried on horseback)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Sense 7
Meaning:
Start or maintain a fire in
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
Context example:
fire the furnace
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 1
Meaning:
With few burdens
Synonyms:
light; lightly
Context example:
experienced travellers travel light
Context examples
Then Lord John threw a bundle of twigs upon the fire, and their red glare lit up the intent faces of my companions and flickered over the great boughs above our heads.
(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
"And these movements can be triggered and controlled wirelessly, using light."
(New Materials Developed by Scientists Able to Move in Response to Light, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
His small eyes burned with a vicious and bitter light, while he roared with fury at sight of Buck.
(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)
A device consisting of a polished surface designed to reflect light.
(Mirror Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)
The robber took a light and began looking for it, but he could not find it.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
A light microscopic finding that describes the cellular characteristics and architectural patterns of cell populations in a tissue sample.
(Morphologic Finding, NCI Thesaurus)
The stable-boy threw a light upon the matter by remembering that a farmer of that name lived some miles off, in the direction of East Ruston.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Additionally, the full moon of February 8 will light your third house of quick, close-by travel.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
Then through the darkness I could see a sort of patch of grey light ahead of us, as though there were a cleft in the hills.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
For Latimer, having finally gone for a lantern, held it so that its light shone down the scuttle.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"All dreams spin out from the same web." (Native American proverb, Hopi)
"Leading by example is better than giving an advice." (Arabic proverb)
"Hunger is the best cook." (Czech proverb)