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to ray

to ray

22 5.8
To send out light or energy
  • verb
  • /reɪ/
: irradiar
  • At dawn, the sky started to ray with soft hues of pink and orange.

Examples

  • So we calculate if this ray has collided with anything.

  • The sun will ray down warm light on the beach tomorrow.

  • The flashlight began to ray beams of light in all directions as I turned it on.

Synonyms

to light
vsto ray
829 1.0

To make something start to burn or shine

refers to narrow emitted lines rather than general brightening or ignition
to cast
vsto ray
357 3.7

To throw something with force or cause a change in light, like a shadow

is concentrated on narrow outgoing lines rather than broad spreading
to emit
vsto ray
128 4.4

Send out light, heat, sound or gas

is about narrow, linear emission rather than general outward release
to shine
vsto ray
85 1.0

To point a light at something so you can see it

focuses on emitting thin linear rays rather than general surface directing
to beam
vsto ray
38 3.0

To shine brightly and send light in a certain direction

is about thin, narrow lines rather than a broad bright shaft
to radiate
vsto ray
  • Specialized
37 4.3

Give off heat, light, or energy from a source

is about narrow, linear emission rather than wide spreading
to irradiate
vsto ray
1 7.8

To shine light on something to make it visible

is about narrow, linear emission rather than directing onto objects

Antonyms

989 3.0

To stop movement, access, or progress

315 3.0

To take in things such as liquid, light, or information

Compounds

gamma ray
  • Specialized
22 4.2

Very strong invisible rays that come from radioactive materials and can harm living tissue

cosmic ray
  • Specialized
19 6.7

High-energy particles from space that enter Earth's atmosphere

X-ray machine
  • Specialized
15 3.3

A machine that uses X rays to take pictures of the inside of the body or of bags

ray of sunshine
  • Informal
12 3.2

A person who makes others feel happy

8 8.0

A strong beam of energy that makes things hot from far away

7 2.0

A narrow beam of light you can see shining through darkness

ultraviolet ray
  • Specialized
6 3.9

A strong invisible light from the sun that can damage skin and kill germs

4 4.8

A very large sea animal with wide triangle-shaped fins that eats tiny sea plants and animals

4 9.9

A made-up machine that makes people or things much smaller

ray of light
  • Informal
3 3.4

Something or someone that brings hope during a difficult time

cathode ray
  • Specialized
3 7.0

A stream of electrons in a vacuum tube that makes images on old television screens or similar devices

sun-ray
  • Specialized
2 6.9

A strong invisible light from a special lamp used for tanning or skin treatment

2 6.0

A large glass device in old TVs and computer screens that makes pictures with a beam of electrons

infrared ray
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A type of light you cannot see that makes things warm

X-ray picture
  • Specialized
1 3.0

A picture made with X rays that shows the inside of the body

X-ray photograph
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A picture of the inside of the body made with X-rays

beta ray
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A kind of radiation made of small fast particles from radioactive atoms

X-ray film
  • Specialized
1 3.0

Special film that records pictures made by X-rays to show bones or the inside of objects

X-ray diffraction
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A way X-rays scatter from the atoms in a crystal to show its structure

X-ray tube
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A tube with no air that makes X rays when fast electrons hit metal

1 7.4

A small ray like a manta that grows to about four feet and swims in groups

alpha ray
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A stream of tiny particles given off by some radioactive materials

1 5.9

A large tropical sea animal with wide, winglike fins that swims gracefully

1 3.9

A pale beam of light from the moon that shines at night

1 7.2

A flat sea fish with a dark back covered in white or yellow dots

A large flat sea animal in warm water with long pointed fins and white spots on its back

actinic ray
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A type of light, often ultraviolet, that can cause chemical changes

cow-nosed ray
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A large flat fish with a broad rounded head like a cow's nose

X-ray photography
  • Specialized
1 3.8

A way to take pictures of the inside of the body using X-rays

butterfly ray
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A large flat sea animal with a very wide body and a short tail

X-ray therapy
  • Specialized
1 3.6

A medical treatment that uses X-rays to kill cancer cells

1 7.2

A flat sea fish with a rounded body that lives on the sea floor and gives strong electric shocks

roentgen ray
  • Archaic
1 6.9

People use a very short wave of energy to take pictures of the inside of the body

ray floret
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A small petal-like flower at the edge of a daisy or sunflower head

delta ray
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A fast electron knocked out of an atom when radiation hits it

1 8.6

A thin beam of light from the moon

medullary ray
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A band of cells in a stem or root that moves water and nutrients sideways

ray flower
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A flat petal at the edge of a flower head like a daisy or sunflower

cownose ray
  • Specialized
1 9.2

A large flat sea animal with wing-like fins and a pointed nose found along the east coast of North America

1 8.2

An electronic device that shows changing electrical signals as lines on a screen using a tube

sun-ray lamp
  • Specialized
7.4

A lamp that gives strong ultraviolet light for medical or beauty treatments

vascular ray
  • Specialized
9.8

A thin layer of cells in a plant stem that moves water and food sideways

How Bright

to blaze
27 3.4
to beam
38 3.0
to shine
409 1.0
to ray
22 5.8
to glow
197 1.2
to glimmer
11 3.9

Surface Forms

ray infinitive
rayed past
rayed past participle
raying present participle
rays third person singular

Etymology

Ray as a verb comes from the same Latin radius, like in radiate, and it means to 'send out' beams of light or energy, which is why we say light or devices ray outward.