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to alight

to alight

2 6.6
To come down and land after flying, like a bird on a branch
  • verb
  • /əˈlaɪt/
translation icon : posarse
  • A butterfly gracefully alighted on the flower to rest for a moment.

Examples

  • The three alighted warily, but their arrival had attracted no great attention.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Just then, a pair of swallows alighted on the grill of the window.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • After a moment, it jumped off with a clean leap and alighted on the floor of the cage in front of me.

    Academic text (1991)

  • I heard the buzzing of flies, and several alighted on the wall beside me.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • A pretty plump bird with eggshell-colored feathers and bright pink eyes alighted on an olive branch near Adam.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • A dragonfly alighted on a wildflower, and the stem bowed.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Soon, a flock of these heralds of darkness alighted upon Aunty's roof.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "A carrier pigeon fluttered through the window, alighting upon a perch near Duskvale.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • A giant black butterfly alights gently on his bloody fingers, Columbus staring fascinated at its palpitating wings.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • I am awakened by the thud-thud-thud of one creature after another alighting on the roof of the bungalow where I have been sleeping fitfully.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

to settle
vsto alight
540 2.8

To become calm and still after movement or excitement

focuses specifically on descending after flight rather than calming broadly
to perch
vsto alight
67 4.4

To sit or put something on a high narrow place

refers to coming down from flight rather than sitting on high places
to light
vsto alight
  • Archaic
24 9.9

To come down and rest gently on a surface

is the common modern term used with birds and objects rather than poetic
to alight on
vsto alight
2 6.8

To come down and settle lightly on something

is used more generally for coming down, not only onto surfaces
to perch at
vsto alight
  • Informal
1 6.4

To sit somewhere for a short time in a casual way

refers to descending after movement rather than casually sitting
to alit
vsto alight
  • Archaic
9.7

To land gently after flying, like a bird or insect

is the present form referring to the same action rather than past

Antonyms

to take off
478 1.9

To leave the ground and begin to fly

Phrasal Verbs

to alight on
2 6.8

To come down and settle lightly on something

to set alight
  • UK
1 4.2

To make something start burning

How Gentle

to alight
2 6.6
to settle
540 2.8
to land
∞ 1.0
to descend
150 2.7
to fall
∞ 1.0
to plummet
93 5.8

Surface Forms

alight infinitive
alighted past
alighted past participle
alighting present participle
alights third person singular

Morphology

alight = light (semi-transparent) = a + light

Formed by the prefix 'a-' + the verb 'light' meaning 'to land', but that sense of 'light' is less frequent, so the relation may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Alight comes from an old use of light meaning 'to land' or 'come down', like a bird gently landing on a branch, so to alight is to settle after flying.