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Glite Dictionary
houselights

houselights

1 5.7
Lights that shine on the audience in a theater, usually off during a show
  • noun
  • /ˈhaʊsˌlaɪts/
  • Specialized
: luces de sala
  • The houselights dimmed, signaling the start of the play.

Examples

  • After the performance ended, the houselights gradually brightened.

  • Please remain seated until the houselights are fully on.

  • The houselights dimmed as the show was about to begin.

  • Please turn off the houselights during the performance.

  • As the audience settled into their seats, the houselights slowly dimmed before the curtain rose.

  • The stage was set, and the houselights illuminated the theater, guiding the audience to their seats.

  • When the houselights came on, the applause filled the auditorium at the end of the show.

Synonyms

room light
vshouselights
2 1.0

A lamp that makes a room bright enough to see

is specific to the audience area in performance venues and usually switched off

Surface Forms

houselights plural

Morphology

houselights = house + light (semi-transparent) = house + light + s

The compound 'house' + 'light' is interpretable as 'lights of the house', but the specific theatrical meaning 'lights that illuminate the audience area' is a specialized usage learners might not immediately infer.

Etymology

The word houselights is simply house + lights. In a theater the 'house' means the audience area, so houselights are the lights that shine on the audience and are usually turned off during a performance.