alight

alight
a|light1 [əˈlaıt] adj [not before noun]
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: Probably from a- + light]
1.) burning
The car was set alight and pushed over a hill.
2.) literary someone whose face or eyes are alight looks excited, happy, etc
alight with excitement/pleasure/laughter etc
Jed's face was alight with excitement.
3.) literary bright with light or colour
alight 2
alight2 v [i]formal
[: Old English; Origin: alihtan, from lihtan 'to alight']
1.) if a bird or insect alights on something, it stops flying and stands on it
= ↑land
2.) to step out of a vehicle after a journey
alight from
She alighted from the train at 74th Street.
alight on/upon [alight on/upon sth] phr v
to suddenly think of or notice something or someone
His mind alighted on several possible answers.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • alight — vb 1 *descend, dismount Contrasted words: mount, *ascend, scale, climb 2 Alight, light, land, perch, roost share the meaning to come to rest after or as if after a flight, a descent, or a fall. Alight suggests previous controlled or gentle… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • alight — Ⅰ. alight [1] ► VERB 1) formal, chiefly Brit. descend from a vehicle. 2) (alight on) chance to notice. ORIGIN Old English. Ⅱ. alight [2] …   English terms dictionary

  • Alight — A*light , a. [Pref. a + light.] Lighted; lighted up; in a flame. The lamps were alight. Dickens. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Alight — A*light , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Alighted}sometimes {Alit}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Alighting}.] [OE. alihten, fr. AS. [=a]l[=i]htan; pref. [=a] (cf. Goth. us , G. er , orig. meaning out) + l[=i]htan, to alight, orig. to render light, to remove a burden… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • alight — verb climb down, depart, descend, descendere, disembark, dismount, egress, evacuate, exit, get down, get off, ground oneself, land, leave, part, set down, step down Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • alight on — alight (up)on (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb Archaic. To find or meet by chance: bump into, chance on (or upon), come across, come on (or upon), find, happen on (or upon), light on (or upon), run across, run into, stumble on (or upon), tumble on.… …   English dictionary for students

  • alight — [v] land come down, debark, descend, disembark, dismount, get off, light, perch, settle, touch down; concepts 159,181 …   New thesaurus

  • alight — alight1 [ə līt′] vi. alighted or alit, alighting [ME alighten < OE ālīhtan < a , out, off + līhtan, to dismount, render light < liht: see LIGHT2 (to dismount)] 1. to get down or off; dismount 2. to come down after flight; descend and… …   English World dictionary

  • alight — [[t]əla͟ɪt[/t]] alights, alighting, alighted 1) ADJ: v n ADJ, v link ADJ If something is alight, it is burning. Several buildings were set alight... The gas fire was still alight. Syn: ablaze 2) ADJ: v link ADJ, oft ADJ with n If someone s eyes… …   English dictionary

  • alight — I UK [əˈlaɪt] / US adjective [never before noun] 1) burning set something alight: Dozens of cars were set alight. 2) literary if someone s face or eyes are alight, their expression shows a feeling such as excitement or happiness 3) literary… …   English dictionary

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