to shine light on
26
3.9
- phrasal verb
- Literature
:
arrojar luz sobre
- The report aims to shine light on the issues facing our community by presenting detailed research.
So once you shine light on something, it becomes clear.
- So once you shine light on something, it becomes clear.
- Let's let's try to just not shine too much light on the ways we embarrassed ourselves.
- And they lose their power when we shine some light on them.
- Not entirely, but then these other outside events then shone a light on what was going on inside me.
- But then I pull out a flashlight and I shine the light of truth on the fear and it disappears.
- And I think that this the only way to disinfect this cancer in American culture is to shine light on it.
- That's why you shouldn't vote for Donald Trump because he's using Russia or Russia is using him to shine light on who Joe Biden really is.
- Call it out, shine a light on it, and that's good.
- It'd be nice to shine a light on this individual, wouldn't it?
Examples
-
I wrote the post for Inspiring Generosity, and I thought, why not shine the light on that more?
Blog text (16) -
Thinking of all this tends to shine a light on this dark world of competition and unethical values.
Academic text (2000) -
So once you shine light on something, it becomes clear.
-
So now what I have to do is just shine the light on it and let it do its thing.
-
No, I'm just going to take the press and shine light on the living conditions.
-
Some beliefs can be released simply by shining a light on them.
Blog text (13) -
Again, this will just this will bring you, it'll shine some light on some things that you might not have otherwise seen.
-
Tonight, instead, we shine our light on the very present work of Bill and Beverly Corbett.
-
So that's where you guys come in, trying to shine a light, Taryn, on what's actually happened.
-
You intentionally ignore all of the science that is shining a light on the seriously flawed theory of SBS.
Blog text (19)
Synonyms
∞
2.3
Show something that was hidden or secret
439
1.9
To show something so other people can see it
243
3.5
Reveal secret facts to the public
146
2.8
Make something visible by removing a cover or letting light reach it
109
4.1
To make something known for the first time
52
4.1
To make something bright or visible with light
30
3.7
Make a fact or situation easier to understand
26
3.9
To help people understand something by explaining it
20
3.7
To show facts that were hidden before
13
4.0
To make a person or thing noticed by people
12
4.1
To make a problem or issue clear and known to many people
8
3.7
Make secret information known to the public
7
4.0
Make something visible by removing a cover
4
7.1
To reveal information that was previously hidden
2
4.4
To tell people about something secret
2
5.5
To show something hidden so people can see it
1
8.1
To light something or make it easier to understand
1
4.9
To help people understand a topic by explaining it clearly
1
7.7
To make something hidden become visible by removing a cover or showing the truth
Antonyms
How Clear
342
4.1
∞
2.3
- Literature
26
3.9
340
3.3
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'shine' (to cast light) with 'light' (that which illuminates) and the directional 'on' — a metaphorical but predictable extension meaning to illuminate or reveal. This light-as-clarity metaphor is cross-linguistically common and follows standard verb + noun + preposition composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely infer the sense.
Etymology
Shine light on comes from the simple image of using a lamp: you shine light on a dark place to see what was hidden. So, to shine light on something means 'to make it clear' or 'reveal' hidden information.