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light

light

1 8.2
A vowel or syllable said with little stress
  • adjective
  • /laɪt/
  • Specialized
: átono
  • In phonetics class, we learned about how a light vowel is articulated without stress on the syllable.

Examples

  • The teacher explained that in some languages, the light syllables are crucial for proper pronunciation.

  • When reading poetry, I often find that a light touch on certain syllables adds to the overall rhythm.

  • I just need enough for my lighter.

  • Don't even try to turn light brown shoes into dark brown shoes by using a dark brown cream.

  • His face was flashing light and dark like neon.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • -Light, gravity, time.

  • Office air wore me out, every staple, every badly lit, Xerox-fumed breath I took.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • In that same instant, Halovic yanked the pull ring out of the lighter and flattened himself against the embankment.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

unaccented
vslight
  • Specialized
1 6.3

Parts of words that you say without strong stress

is narrower, referring only to vowels or syllables rather than words
weak
vslight
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A vowel or syllable with little stress when spoken

is the same meaning but uses a different word

Antonyms

1 3.7

Said or shown in a way that makes it stand out as important

1 3.5

Said louder and longer than other syllables

Idioms

to see the light
  • Informal
54 5.0

To understand something important and change for the better

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

Seen in a different way that shows new sides

out like a light
  • Informal
7 7.3

To fall asleep or become unconscious very quickly

5 3.4

Make a room feel happier and more lively

Make someone or something look bad to other people

4 5.6

Much more advanced than others in development and skill

4 5.1

Suddenly understand something when an idea appears in your mind

4 3.8

Make a room feel happy and friendly when someone arrives

3 6.0

A cheerful and friendly feeling among people

3 6.3

A person someone loves most and who makes them very happy

Dance in a lively, graceful way to music

A friendly, peaceful situation with no open arguments

A rude phrase that says a man seems feminine or gay

To make a flame with a match or lighter

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

light on the hill
  • Australian
1 8.7

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

1 4.8

Can move quickly and lightly like a dancer

To start something that quickly becomes exciting or causes strong debate

Look suddenly very happy and excited

Become covered in many bright lights for decoration

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
121 5.0

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

88 1.8

A glass object that makes light when electricity passes through it

84 2.3

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

71 1.0

A red traffic light that tells cars and people to stop

light-year
  • Specialized
62 4.9

The distance light travels in one year

55 1.7

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

speed of light
  • Specialized
50 3.8

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

41 1.0

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

33 1.7

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

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

26 1.0

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

25 3.8

Light that contains all the colors you can see

23 2.4

Not dark in color, often pale like white

23 1.0

A pale brown color like dry sand in sunlight

20 2.5

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

19 3.5

A display of colored lights that move and change for entertainment

16 3.7

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

15 2.5

A narrow line of light from a lamp or the sun

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

14 3.0

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

14 2.2

Light that comes from the sun, not from lamps

light speed
  • Specialized
13 5.0

The speed that light travels in empty space

light year
  • Informal
13 4.1

A very large gap in progress or quality

13 2.6

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

12 2.1

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

ultraviolet light
  • Specialized
11 4.0

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

11 3.9

A gentle, brief contact made with little force

visible light
  • Specialized
11 3.4

Light that people can see, like sunlight or lamp light

strobe light
  • Specialized
10 3.7

A light that flashes quickly and regularly to make visual effects

light heavyweight
  • Specialized
10 3.5

A fighter in the weight class between middleweight and heavyweight

brake light
  • Specialized
9 2.2

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

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

A famous nickname for Paris that comes from its lights and art

pilot light
  • Specialized
8 3.8

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

8 1.0

A pale green color like fresh grass

8 6.1

An area of a city where many people sell sex

7 2.2

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

7 1.8

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

7 2.0

A narrow beam of light you can see shining through darkness

infrared light
  • Specialized
7 4.0

Light you cannot see that often feels warm

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

6 3.2

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

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

5 4.0

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

A phrase used to say something happens very fast

A bad way to show or talk about something

4 6.7

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

4 1.5

A gentle wind you feel on your face that moves leaves

running light
  • Specialized
4 5.8

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

Inner Light
  • Jargon
4 9.9

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

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

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

ray of light
  • Informal
3 3.4

Something or someone that brings hope during a difficult time

3 3.9

Poor lighting that makes it hard to see

3 2.0

A thin dairy product with about 18 percent fat used in cooking and on desserts

light work
  • Informal
2 1.0

An easy task that takes little effort

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

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

2 4.1

Warm yellow-orange light used to make a room or photo feel cosy

klieg light
  • Archaic
2 9.8

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

light time
  • Specialized
2 8.6

The time light or radio waves take to travel between two places

light intensity
  • Specialized
2 3.9

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

2 3.7

A small airplane used for private or hobby flying

2 1.0

A lamp that makes a room bright enough to see

light meter
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A small device that measures light to help set camera settings

1 5.3

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

1 3.2

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

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 3.9

A sudden time when you understand something clearly

1 3.7

A short, shallow sleep you wake up easily from

A small light bulb that uses little electricity and lasts longer

light machine gun
  • Specialized
1 4.9

An automatic gun that one soldier can carry and use

light hour
  • Specialized
1 8.1

The distance light travels in empty space in one hour, about one billion kilometers

How Stressed

stressed
1 3.5
light
  • Specialized
1 8.2

Surface Forms

light positive
lighter comparative
lightest superlative

Etymology

Light for a short or unstressed syllable comes from the 'not heavy' idea — a light syllable is small and not strong. So a light syllable gets less stress in speech.