running light
3
5.8
- noun
- Specialized
:
luz de navegación
- Water buried the bow to the cabin; they lost radio contact with the Wayfarer, but Bob could see her running lights as she mounted into a nearby wave, and he was glad of her presence in that great emptiness.
- daytime running light
- red running light
- green running light
Examples
-
Soon, the dark gray hull of a boat came into view, its red and green running lights flashing in the distance.
Fiction book (1999) -
Above the hospital and the busy street, a plane passed, its running lights barely puncturing the vast darkness.
Fiction book (1994) -
Marina turned and saw the running lights of a jet craft, coming on fast at high altitude.
Fiction book (1995) -
Out at sea, there were ships heading into the cove, their running lights like low-hanging stars.
Fiction book (1995) -
We had often lain on the rocks at night watching the running lights of tankers and fishing boats on the dark horizon.
Fiction book (1993) -
I'd finally decided to rig running lights and go, navigating by the reflected glow of Juneau against the clouds and the lights of early-running seiners.
Fiction book (2001) -
I can feel the pier tremble as the waves heave past its tarry pilings, and I can see the running lights of an outbound freighter a mile offshore.
Fiction book (1993) -
The boat's running light illuminated its position, ensuring safe navigation during the foggy night.
-
Sailors rely on their running lights to signal their presence and direction when visibility is low.
-
At dusk, the running lights on the vessel shone brightly, guiding it safely through the harbor.
Synonyms
1
3.6
A light on a ship or plane that shows its position and direction at night
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is partly derivable from the parts: a B1 learner who knows 'running' (operating/underway) and 'light' (a lamp/signal) can infer this refers to a light that is on or used while a vessel is moving. However, the specific maritime/navigation function and regulatory sense (position/direction lights on boats) is specialised and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so prior exposure helps.
Etymology
Running light comes from the simple picture of a running boat with a light fixed so people can see where it is and which way it is going. So today it means 'a light carried on a boat to show its position and direction'.