Dictionary
light•en
Pronunciation: (līt'n), [key]—
v.i.
1. to become lighter or less dark; brighten:
The sky lightened after the storm.
2. to brighten or light up, as the eyes or features:
Her face lightened when she heard the good news.
3. to flash as or like lightning (often used impersonally with
it as subject):
It thundered and lightened for hours.
4. Archaic.to shine, gleam, or be bright:
steel blades lightening in the sun.
—
v.t.
1. to give light to; illuminate:
A full moon lightened the road.
2. to brighten (the eyes, features, etc.):
A large smile lightened his face.
3. to make lighter or less dark:
Add white to lighten the paint.
4. Obs.enlighten.
5. Obs.to flash or emit like lightning (usually fol. by
out, forth, or
down):
eyes that lightened forth implacable hatred. light•en
Pronunciation: (līt'n), [key]—
v.t.
1. to make lighter in weight:
to lighten the load on a truck.
2. to lessen the load of or upon:
to lighten a cargo ship.
3. to make less burdensome or oppressive; alleviate; mitigate:
to lighten taxes; to lighten someone's cares.
4. to cheer or gladden:
Such news lightens my heart.
—
v.i.
1. to become less severe, stringent, or harsh; ease up:
Border inspections have lightened recently.
2. to become less heavy, cumbersome, burdensome, oppressive, etc.:
His worries seem to have lightened somewhat.
3. to become less gloomy; perk up:
People's spirits usually lighten when spring arrives. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
