alight
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English [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
From Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan (“to lighten, relieve, alleviate, take off, take away, alight”) and Old English ġelīhtan (“to lighten, mitigate, assuage”), equivalent to a- + light (“not heavy”).
Verb [edit]
alight (third-person singular simple present alights, present participle alighting, simple past and past participle alighted)
- (transitive) To make light or less heavy; lighten; alleviate.
Etymology 2 [edit]
From Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan (“to alight, dismount”), from prefix ā- (compare with Gothic us-, German er-, originally meaning "out") + līhtan (“to alight”), and Old English ġelīhtan (“to alight, approach, come, come down, dismount”), equivalent to a- + light (“to dismount”).
Verb [edit]
alight (third-person singular simple present alights, present participle alighting, simple past and past participle alighted or alit)
- (intransitive, with from) To spring down, get down, or descend, as from on horseback or from a carriage; to dismount.
- Passengers are alighting from the carriage
- (intransitive, with on) To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop.
- A flying bird alights on a tree
- Snow alights on a roof.
- (intransitive) To come or chance (upon).
Translations [edit]
Etymology 3 [edit]
From Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan (“to light up, enlighten”), equivalent to a- + light. Cognate with German erleuchten (“to light up, illuminate”).
Verb [edit]
alight (third-person singular simple present alights, present participle alighting, simple past and past participle alit or alighted)
- (transitive) To light; light up; illuminate.
- (transitive) To set light to; light.
Etymology 4 [edit]
From Middle English alight, from Old English *ālīhted, past participle of ālīhtan (“to alight”). See above.
Alternative forms [edit]
Adjective [edit]
alight (not comparable)
- Lit, on fire, switched on.
- The sticks were damp and wouldn't catch alight.
- (figuratively) Lit; on fire, burning.
- Her face was alight with happiness.
Usage notes [edit]
Used only as a predicative.
Translations [edit]
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