to light upon

Examples

• All

• Her eye lit upon the prince, and she smiled.

  Fiction book (1993)

• It is my wish to throw some light upon the extraordinary events that I witnessed, and on the men that lived them.

  Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)

• Their eyes lit upon him, friendly and curious.

  Fiction book (1997)

• I shimmied my way across the dirt and shined my light upon the pups.

  Fiction book (1999)

• Nothing throws a clearer light upon it or more surely establishes the proportions of the whole.

  Academic text (1992)

• Aramis and Porthos shed their disguises, jump after, and light upon the carriage.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Ten years on, I flicked through to light upon three terse entries, a squashed ant, and an address I had wanted so badly at one point that I had completely emptied my study in a frenzy to locate it.

  Fiction book (1995)

• During her walk in the park, she was delighted to light upon a beautiful, hidden garden.

• While searching for inspiration, he unexpectedly lit upon a fascinating article that sparked his creativity.

Synonyms

F

to find

vsto light upon

∞ 1.0

To discover something while looking or by accident

restricts meaning to chance discovery, not planned searching or investigation

D

to discover

vsto light upon

∞ 1.0

To find out about something for the first time, often by chance

is similar but more narrowly about first awareness rather than chance alone

C

to come across

vsto light upon

244 2.6

To find something or someone by chance

shares the same chance discovery focus and usage

T

to turn up

vsto light upon

155 3.0

To find something while searching or by chance

focuses more on pure chance discovery without search implication

C

to come upon

vsto light upon

50 2.2

To find something or someone by chance

has the same unexpected discovery meaning and same usage

S

to strike

vsto light upon

• Informal

37 2.8

To find something by chance

means unexpected discovery but not necessarily sudden or dramatic

C

to chance on

vsto light upon

18 6.1

To find something or someone by accident while doing something else

is the same chance discovery idea without adding luck emphasis

H

to happen upon

vsto light upon

15 4.9

Find a person or thing by chance

keeps the same unexpected finding meaning and common usage

H

to hit upon

vsto light upon

7 4.9

To find or think of something by chance

focuses on chance discovery without the prior searching or thinking element

F

to fall upon

vsto light upon

5 3.6

To find something by chance

is the general unexpected find idea without stressing suddenness

C

to chance upon

vsto light upon

3 5.1

Find someone or something by accident

expresses the same accidental discovery idea without extra wording

Antonyms

L

to lose

∞ 1.1

Fail to understand or follow what someone says

M

to miss

518 1.7

To not notice or hear something important

How Unexpected

to hit upon

7 4.9

to light upon

2 5.6

to come across

244 2.6

to find

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology