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light

light

852 5.3
Information that makes people understand something hidden
  • noun
  • /laɪt/
translation icon : luz
  • The teacher's guidance shone a light on the importance of kindness and empathy.
  • shed light on
  • come to light
  • bring to light

With Olivia, he could feast on the light in her eyes.

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Examples

  • Suffering needs to be reflected in a different light for it to go away.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Certain information has come to light with our interview with Mr. Haynes.

  • What should she make of that in light of what she had just learned?

    Fiction book (1990)
  • And in so doing, you shed light on an invaluable truth.

  • The excavation that followed it cast a lot of new light on the actual battle.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Examining the latter part of this question will begin to shed light on the former.

    Academic text (1999)
  • They will be celebrating...then, you will see them in a better light.

  • However, the courts generally interpret these statutes in light of typical agricultural practices.

    Academic text (1999)
  • There isn't any other tale to tell; it's the only light we've got in all this darkness.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In a rare chink of light, 10 day centres were given a temporary reprieve from closure.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

illumination
vslight
7 8.3

A state of deep spiritual understanding felt as inner clarity

is general insight or happiness not limited to religious or divine origins
Inner Light
vslight
  • Jargon
2 9.9

A quiet feeling of God's presence inside a person that guides their choices

is general understanding and guidance not limited to a specific religious inner presence
ray of light
vslight
  • Informal
1 3.4

Something or someone that brings hope during a difficult time

is broader lasting understanding or guidance rather than brief comfort in hardship

Antonyms

389 1.8

A time when things are not organized and people do not know what to think or do

316 3.9

Not knowing about something or how it works

Idioms

to see the light
  • Informal
55 5.0

To understand something important and change for the better

A sign that a hard time will soon end or get better

out like a light
  • Informal
7 7.3

To fall asleep or become unconscious very quickly

Seen in a different way that shows new sides

4 4.8

Can move quickly and lightly like a dancer

Make someone or something look bad to other people

4 5.6

Much more advanced than others in development and skill

3 3.4

Make a room feel happier and more lively

3 3.8

Make a room feel happy and friendly when someone arrives

Dance in a lively, graceful way to music

Look suddenly very happy and excited

1 6.0

A cheerful and friendly feeling among people

A friendly, peaceful situation with no open arguments

1 5.1

Suddenly understand something when an idea appears in your mind

To keep your talents or good work hidden instead of showing them to others

A rude phrase that says a man seems feminine or gay

Become covered in many bright lights for decoration

To make a flame with a match or lighter

6.3

A person someone loves most and who makes them very happy

light on the hill
  • Australian
8.7

A person or group that gives hope and shows people how to behave

To start something that quickly becomes exciting or causes strong debate

To dance in a lively, elegant way to music

Make yourself look good to other people

Do things that stop you from succeeding

Compounds

light-year
  • Specialized
109 4.9

The distance light travels in one year

64 1.0

A red traffic light that tells cars and people to stop

62 1.8

A glass object that makes light when electricity passes through it

46 2.3

A signal that lets you start or continue something, for example a traffic light

speed of light
  • Specialized
43 3.8

A constant speed at which light travels in empty space, about 300,000 kilometres per second

34 1.7

The time in the morning when the sky starts to get bright

28 1.0

A device with red, yellow and green lights that controls cars and people at street intersections

light year
  • Specialized
19 5.0

The distance light travels in one year in space, about 9.46 trillion kilometers

19 3.8

Light that contains all the colors you can see

light year
  • Informal
18 4.1

A very large gap in progress or quality

16 1.0

A pale brown color like dry sand in sunlight

16 1.0

A pale shade of blue like the sky on a clear day

15 3.5

A display of colored lights that move and change for entertainment

A light that flashes to warn people, for example on ambulances or at crossings

12 3.0

A thing like a lamp or candle that makes a place bright so you can see

12 2.5

A narrow line of light from a lamp or the sun

12 3.7

A device on a ceiling or wall that holds and powers a light bulb

11 2.2

Light that comes from the sun, not from lamps

11 2.1

A light placed near a house entrance to help people see the door at night

10 2.4

Not dark in color, often pale like white

10 2.5

A small lamp left on at night to give dim light in a room

visible light
  • Specialized
10 3.4

Light that people can see, like sunlight or lamp light

light heavyweight
  • Specialized
10 3.5

A fighter in the weight class between middleweight and heavyweight

ultraviolet light
  • Specialized
10 4.0

A type of light from the sun that you cannot see and that can burn your skin

9 2.6

A kind of beer with less alcohol and fewer calories than regular beer

A light that gets power from wires, often from a bulb

light speed
  • Specialized
8 5.0

The speed that light travels in empty space

A light that turns on in vehicles or machines to show a problem

brake light
  • Specialized
6 2.2

A red light at the back of a car that comes on when you press the pedal to stop

strobe light
  • Specialized
6 3.7

A light that flashes quickly and regularly to make visual effects

6 6.1

An area of a city where many people sell sex

6 1.8

A traffic signal that warns drivers to slow down and prepare to stop

5 1.0

A pale green color like fresh grass

infrared light
  • Specialized
5 4.0

Light you cannot see that often feels warm

4 2.2

A narrow column of light that you can see in the air

A person who leads and inspires others in a group by example

4 6.7

A soft dim glow when things are only partly seen, like at dawn or dusk

Soft and airy with small air pockets that make it not heavy

4 3.9

A gentle, brief contact made with little force

A bad way to show or talk about something

A narrow beam of light that shines through an opening and lights a small area

A phrase used to say something happens very fast

pilot light
  • Specialized
4 3.8

A small gas flame that stays lit to light a larger burner

A red, yellow and green sign on a report or screen that shows a project's status

running light
  • Specialized
3 5.8

A light on a boat that shows its position and direction at night

3 1.5

A gentle wind you feel on your face that moves leaves

3 4.0

Made for jobs that do not need much strength or heavy use

A person who is respected and helps shape a group's ideas or work

light work
  • Informal
3 1.0

An easy task that takes little effort

Clothes and rooms that are not heavy or tight and feel fresh and open

Inner Light
  • Jargon
2 9.9

A quiet feeling of God's presence inside a person that guides their choices

2 1.7

A warning that something is wrong and you should stop or be careful

2 1.0

A lamp that makes a room bright enough to see

2 3.9

Poor lighting that makes it hard to see

2 2.0

A narrow beam of light you can see shining through darkness

klieg light
  • Archaic
1 9.8

A very bright lamp used on film and TV sets to light actors

1 3.7

A small airplane used for private or hobby flying

A small light bulb that uses little electricity and lasts longer

A glass bulb with a thin wire that makes light when electricity passes through it

1 3.2

Small colored bulbs on a thin wire used to decorate trees or balconies

light meter
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A small device that measures light to help set camera settings

light-emitting diode
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A small device that makes light when electricity flows through it, for example in traffic lights and screens

1 3.2

A light or fire used to send a message over a distance

arc light
  • Archaic
1 8.1

A lamp that makes very bright light when electricity jumps between two metal rods

1 4.3

A piece of clear material, like a camera lens, that reduces light passing through it

1 3.4

A device on a wall or ceiling that holds and powers a light bulb

light microscope
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A tool that uses light and lenses to make tiny things like cells look larger

1 5.3

A short, funny musical play with singing and a light story

light intensity
  • Specialized
1 3.9

The amount of light you can see coming from a lamp or the sun in one direction

light machine gun
  • Specialized
1 4.9

An automatic gun that one soldier can carry and use

1 3.7

A short, shallow sleep you wake up easily from

light welterweight
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A boxing weight class for fighters who weigh about 140 pounds

1 3.9

A sudden time when you understand something clearly

How Enlightening

enlightenment
22 5.1
revelation
175 5.0
insight
493 4.9
light
852 5.3
clue
966 1.0
hint
153 1.5

Surface Forms

light singular
lights plural

Etymology

Light for 'understanding' comes from the image of brightness showing what was hidden. When something comes to 'light' it becomes seen or known, like turning on a lamp for an idea.