Idioms for light

Origin of light

1
before 900; (noun and adj.) Middle English; Old English lēoht; cognate with Old Saxon lioht, Old Frisian liacht, Dutch, German licht, Gothic liuhath (noun); akin to Old Norse ljōs (noun), ljōss (adj.), Latin lūx (noun), Greek leukós bright, white; (v.) Middle English lighten, Old English līhtan, cognate with Old Saxon liuhtian, Old High German liuhten (German leuchten), Gothic liuhtjan

OTHER WORDS FROM light

light·ful, adjective light·ful·ly, adverb

Definition for light (2 of 4)

light 2
[ lahyt ]
/ laɪt /

adjective, light·er, light·est.

adverb, light·er, light·est.

lightly: to travel light.
with no load or cargo hauled or carried: a locomotive running light to its roundhouse.

noun

a light product, as a beer or cigarette.

Origin of light

2
before 900; Middle English; Old English lēoht, līht; cognate with Old Frisian li(u)cht, Old Saxon -līht, Dutch licht, German leicht, Old Norse lēttr, Gothic leihts

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH light

light lite

Definition for light (3 of 4)

light 3
[ lahyt ]
/ laɪt /

verb (used without object), light·ed or lit, light·ing.

to get down or descend, as from a horse or a vehicle.
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.
to come by chance; happen; hit (usually followed by on or upon): to light on a clue; to light on an ideal picnic spot.
to fall, as a stroke, weapon, vengeance, or choice, on a place or person: The choice lighted upon our candidate.

Verb Phrases

light into, Informal. to make a vigorous physical or verbal attack on: He would light into anyone with the slightest provocation.
light out, Slang. to leave quickly; depart hurriedly: He lit out of here as fast as his legs would carry him.

Origin of light

3
before 900; Middle English lihten, Old English līhtan to make light, relieve of a weight; see light2

Definition for light (4 of 4)

lights
[ lahyts ]
/ laɪts /

plural noun

the lungs, especially of sheep, pigs, etc.

Origin of lights

1150–1200; Middle English lihte, lightes, noun use of liht light2; cf. lung

Example sentences from the Web for light

British Dictionary definitions for light (1 of 5)

light 1
/ (laɪt) /

noun

adjective

verb lights, lighting, lighted or lit (lɪt)

See also lights 1, light up

Derived forms of light

lightish, adjective lightless, adjective

Word Origin for light

Old English lēoht; related to Old High German lioht, Gothic liuhath, Latin lux

British Dictionary definitions for light (2 of 5)

light 2
/ (laɪt) /

adjective

adverb

a less common word for lightly
with little equipment, baggage, etc to travel light

verb lights, lighting, lighted or lit (lɪt) (intr)

Derived forms of light

lightish, adjective lightly, adverb lightness, noun

Word Origin for light

Old English lēoht; related to Dutch licht, Gothic leihts

British Dictionary definitions for light (3 of 5)

Light
/ (laɪt) /

noun

God regarded as a source of illuminating grace and strength
Quakerism short for Inner Light

British Dictionary definitions for light (4 of 5)

lights 1
/ (laɪts) /

pl n

a person's ideas, knowledge, or understanding he did it according to his lights

British Dictionary definitions for light (5 of 5)

lights 2
/ (laɪts) /

pl n

the lungs, esp of sheep, bullocks, and pigs, used for feeding pets and occasionally in human food

Word Origin for lights

C13: plural noun use of light ², referring to the light weight of the lungs

Medical definitions for light

light
[ līt ]

n.

Electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength in the range from about 4,000 (violet) to about 7,700 (red) angstroms and may be perceived by the normal unaided human eye.
Electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength.

Scientific definitions for light

light
[ līt ]

Electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. It is made up of electromagnetic waves with wavelengths between 4 X 10-7 and 7 X 10-7 meters. Light, and all other electromagnetic radiation, travels at a speed of about 299,728 km (185,831 mi) per second in a vacuum. See also photon.
Electromagnetic energy of a wavelength just outside the range the human eye can detect, such as infrared light and ultraviolet light. See Note at electromagnetic radiation.

Cultural definitions for light

light

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.)

Idioms and Phrases with light

light