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light

light

6 2.8
Not doing or using something in large amounts
  • adjective
  • /laɪt/
translation icon : ligero
  • One thing I'd add: go light on the perfume or aftershave.

Examples

  • If your little one is a light sleeper, this will be important.

    Blog text (8)
  • This is light work, fellas.

  • Probably going to eat a little light, not not have a beer, just have some water and enjoy some food.

  • Well, you travel pretty light.

  • The others received light sentences.

  • I needed something light and untraceable.

  • Traffic was light, and she had time to watch strangers going about their business as she drove through New Bern.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Foot traffic is light, cars rarely honk, and the outdoor cafes only murmur, not hum.

    Academic text (2002)
  • She prefers to eat light meals in the evening to maintain her energy.

  • For a healthier diet, try to keep your snacks light and avoid heavy foods.

Synonyms

abstemious
vslight
  • Formal
1 9.9

Not eating or drinking much

is milder and means general moderation across habits and intake

Antonyms

224 3.6

More than is needed or reasonable

36 6.1

Willing to let someone have what they want, even if it is not good for them

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 Much

excessive
224 3.6
heavy
355 1.0
moderate
415 3.3
light
6 2.8
abstinent
4 7.4

Surface Forms

light positive
lighter comparative
lightest superlative

Etymology

Light meaning someone who does little of something (a light smoker, eater) comes from 'small amount' or 'not much'. So a light smoker uses only a little tobacco.