Citations:alight

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English citations of alight

1719
ME « 15th c. 16th c. 17th c. 18th c. 19th c. 20th c. 21st c.
  1. (intransitive)
    1. Often followed by from or off: to get off an animal which one has been riding; to dismount; to descend or exit from a vehicle; hence, to complete one's journey; to stop.
      • 1777, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, [], 7th edition, London: [] S. Crowder, []; J. Sewell, []; W. Johnston, []; and B. Law, [], →OCLC, page 177:
        What courſe to take, whether to proceed or retreat, we could not tell; but it was not long before the wolves themſelves made us come to a reſolution: [] [D]eſiring them to alight, we ſtood in a triangle, or three fronts, encloſing our horſes in the centre, the only place where we could preſerve them.
        In the 3rd edition (1719), the corresponding phrase is “I advis’d them all to light”.