pilot light
4
3.8
- noun
- /ˈpaɪlət laɪt/
- Specialized
:
luz piloto
- Buster wasn't able to reactivate the pilot light in the furnace, but he did manage to get a good blaze started in the fireplace.
- pilot light in the furnace
- extinguished pilot light
- ignite a pilot light
Examples
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"The victim was in the process of attempting to relight that pilot light when an accumulation of gas there at the appliance actually ignited in what we call a flash fire," Pifer said.
Blog text (14) -
A pilot light on a malfunctioning pizza oven was out when employees came to work Saturday, according to Ridgeway.
Blog text (14) -
The police would later tell me that the pilot light might have gone out, letting out just a little bit of gas.
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When they looked inside, they could see that the pilot light had blown out.
Fiction book (1998) -
"Oh," I said, "I just lit a match because the pilot light went out on the stove."
Fiction book (1993) -
Now get the pilot light on the furnace.
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You blew out the pilot light on the furnace, right?
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There's water in the basement and the pilot light is out.
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FIVE YEARS AGO, THE PILOT LIGHT WENT OUT IN THE FURNACE, AND AS A FAVOR TO YOUR MOTHER, I WENT DOWN TO RE-LIGHT IT.
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When the pilot light goes out, the heater won't function properly.
Synonyms
39
8.0
A small flame that lights a larger gas burner
A small gas flame that stays lit to light a larger flame when needed
How Hot
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: 'pilot' (a small constant flame) + 'light' (a lamp/signal) combine to denote a small indicator flame. The meaning is compositionally predictable from the constituents and follows a common English compounding pattern, so a learner who knows both constituent senses will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Pilot light is a small flame that stays burning all the time to start a bigger burner. Here pilot means a little helper and light is the flame, so the tiny flame can 'light' the main burner quickly.