light

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Verb 1.2.1.1 Synonyms 1.2.1.2 Antonyms 1.2.1.3 Derived terms 1.2.1.4 Translations 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.3.1.1 Synonyms 1.3.1.2 Derived terms 1.3.1.3 Translations 1.3.2 Adjective 1.3.2.1 Synonyms 1.3.2.2 Derived terms 1.3.2.3 Translations 1.4 Etymology 3 1.4.1 Adjective 1.4.1.1 Synonyms 1.4.1.2 Antonyms 1.4.1.3 Derived terms 1.4.1.4 Translations 1.4.2 Adverb 1.4.3 Noun 1.4.4 Verb 1.4.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.4.2 Translations 1.5 Etymology 4 1.5.1 Verb 1.5.1.1 Synonyms 1.5.1.2 Derived terms 1.5.1.3 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: līt, IPA: /laɪt/, SAMPA: /laIt/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -aɪt
• Homophones: lite

[edit] Etymology 1

Old English līhtan (“‘illuminate’”)

[edit] Verb

to light (third-person singular simple present lights, present participle lighting, simple past and past participle lit or lighted)

1. (transitive) To start (a fire).
2. (transitive) To illuminate.

[edit] Synonyms

• (start (a fire)):: ignite, kindle, start
• (illuminate):: illuminate, light up

[edit] Antonyms

• (start (a fire)):: extinguish, put out, quench

[edit] Derived terms

• light someone's fire
• light up
• highlight

[edit] Translations

[edit] Etymology 2

Old English lēoht. Cognate with Dutch licht, German Licht.

[edit] Noun

Wikipedia

light (plural lights)

1. (uncountable) The natural medium emanating from the sun and other very hot sources (now recognised as electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 400-750 nm), within which vision is possible.

   As you can see, this spacious dining-room gets a lot of light in the mornings.

2. A source of illumination.

   Put that light out!

3. Spiritual or mental illumination; enlightenment, useful information.

   Can you throw any light on this problem?

4. (in plural, now rare) Facts. pieces of information; ideas, concepts.
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Book I, New York 2001, p. 166:

     Now these notions are twofold, actions or habits [...], which are durable lights and notions, which we may use when we will.

5. A notable person within a specific field or discipline.

   Picasso was one of the leading lights of the cubist movement.

6. A point of view, or aspect from which a concept, person or thing is regarded.

   I'm really seeing you in a different light today.

   Magoon's governorship in Cuba was viewed in a negative light by many Cuban historians for years thereafter.

7. A flame or something used to create fire.

   Hey, buddy, you got a light?

8. A window, or space for a window in architecture

   This facade has eight south-facing lights.

9. The series of squares reserved for the answer to a crossword clue

   The average length of a light on a 15x15 grid is 7 or 8.

10. (informal) A cross-light in a double acrostic or triple acrostic.

[edit] Synonyms

• (electromagnetic wave perceived by the eye):: visible light

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adjective

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

1. having light
2. pale in colour
3. (of coffee) served with extra milk or cream

[edit] Synonyms

• (having light): bright
• (pale in colour): pale
• (coffee: served with extra milk or cream): white, with milk, with cream

[edit] Derived terms

• light-haired
• light-skinned

[edit] Translations

• Danish: med mælk, med fløde, med melk

[edit] Etymology 3

Old English lēocht. Cognate with Dutch licht, German leicht, Swedish lätt, Norwegian lett.

[edit] Adjective

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

1. Of low weight; not heavy.

   My bag was much lighter once I had dropped off the books.

2. Lightly-built; designed for speed or small loads.

   We took a light aircraft down to the city.

3. Gentle; having little force or momentum.

   This artist clearly had a light, flowing touch.

4. Low in fat, calories, alcohol, salt, etc.

   This light beer still gets you drunk if you have enough of it.

5. Unimportant, trivial, having little value or significance.

   I made some light comment, and we moved on.

[edit] Synonyms

• (of low weight):
• (lightly-built): lightweight
• (having little force or momentum): delicate, gentle, soft
• (low in fat, calories, etc): lite, lo-cal (low in calories), low-alcohol (low in alcohol)
• (having little value or significance): inconsequential, trivial, unimportant

[edit] Antonyms

• (of low weight): heavy, weighty
• (lightly-built): cumbersome, heavyweight, massive
• (having little force or momentum): forceful, heavy, strong
• (low in fat, calories, etc): calorific (high in calories), fatty (high in fat), strong (high in alcohol)
• (having little value or significance): crucial, important, weighty

[edit] Derived terms

• light as a feather
• lightness

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adverb

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

1. Carrying little.

   I prefer to travel light.

[edit] Noun

light (plural lights)

1. (curling) A stone that is not thrown hard enough.

[edit] Verb

to light (third-person singular simple present lights, present participle lighting, simple past and past participle lighted)

1. (nautical) To unload a ship, or to jettison material to make it lighter

[edit] Derived terms

• lighter

[edit] Translations

[edit] Etymology 4

Old English līhtan

[edit] Verb

to light (third-person singular simple present lights, present participle lighting, simple past and past participle lit or lighted)

1. To find by chance.

   I lit upon a rare book in a second-hand bookseller's.

2. (archaic) To alight.

   She fell out of the window but luckily lit on her feet.

[edit] Synonyms

• (find by chance):: chance upon, come upon, find, happen upon, hit upon
• (alight):: alight, land

[edit] Derived terms

• light into
• light out

[edit] Translations