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English adjective: light

1. light of comparatively little physical weight or density


SamplesA light load.
Magnesium is a light metal--having a specific gravity of 1.74 at 20 degrees C.


Similarairy, buoyant, floaty, lighter-than-air, lightweight, low-density


Attributeweight


Antonymsheavy

2. light (used of color) having a relatively small amount of coloring agent


SamplesLight blue.
Light colors such as pastels.
A light-colored powder.


Synonymslight-colored


Similarpale, palish, pastel, powdery


See alsowhite


Attributevalue


Antonymsdark

3. light of the military or industry; using (or being) relatively small or light arms or equipment


SamplesLight infantry.
Light cavalry.
Light industry.
Light weapons.


Similarlight-armed, lightly-armed


Antonymsheavy

4. light not great in degree or quantity or number


SamplesA light sentence.
A light accent.
Casualties were light.
Light snow was falling.
Light misty rain.
Light smoke from the chimney.


Antonymsheavy

5. light psychologically light; especially free from sadness or troubles


SamplesA light heart.


Similarcasual, fooling


Antonymsheavy

6. light characterized by or emitting light


SamplesA room that is light when the shutters are open.
The inside of the house was airy and light.


Similarablaze, autofluorescent, bioluminescent, bright, candent, candescent, floodlighted, floodlit, fluorescent, illuminated, incandescent, inflamed, lamplit, lighted, lighting-up, lit, livid, luminescent, phosphorescent, reddened, sunlit, sunstruck, well-lighted, white


Attributelight, lightness


Antonymsdark

7. light (used of vowels or syllables) pronounced with little or no stress


SamplesA syllable that ends in a short vowel is a light syllable.
A weak stress on the second syllable.


Synonymsunaccented, weak


Similarunstressed


Antonymsaccented, stressed

8. light easily assimilated in the alimentary canal; not rich or heavily seasoned


SamplesA light diet.


Similardigestible


Antonymsindigestible

9. light (used of soil) loose and large-grained in consistency


SamplesLight soil.


Similarloose


Antonymscompact

10. light (of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims


SamplesEfforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings.
Clear laughter like a waterfall.
Clear reds and blues.
A light lilting voice like a silver bell.


Synonymsclean, clear, unclouded


Similarpure


Antonymsimpure

11. light moving easily and quickly; nimble


SamplesThe dancer was light and graceful.
A lightsome buoyant step.
Walked with a light tripping step.


Synonymslightsome, tripping


Similarlight-footed


Antonymsheavy-footed

12. light demanding little effort; not burdensome


SamplesLight housework.
Light exercise.


Similarundemanding


Antonymsdemanding

13. light of little intensity or power or force


SamplesThe light touch of her fingers.
A light breeze.


Similareasy, gentle, soft


Antonymsheavy

14. light (physics, chemistry) not having atomic weight greater than average


SamplesLight water is ordinary water.


Domain categorychemical science, chemistry


Antonymsheavy

15. light weak and likely to lose consciousness


SamplesSuddenly felt faint from the pain.
Was sick and faint from hunger.
Felt light in the head.
A swooning fit.
Light-headed with wine.
Light-headed from lack of sleep.


Synonymsfaint, light-headed, lightheaded, swooning


Similarill, sick


Antonymswell

16. light very thin and insubstantial


SamplesThin paper.
Light summer dresses.


Similarthin


Antonymsthick

17. light marked by temperance in indulgence


SamplesAbstemious with the use of adverbs.
A light eater.
A light smoker.
Ate a light supper.


Synonymsabstemious


Similartemperate


Antonymsintemperate

18. light less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so


SamplesA light pound.
A scant cup of sugar.
Regularly gives short weight.


Synonymsscant, short


Similardeficient, insufficient


Antonymssufficient

19. light having little importance


SamplesLosing his job was no light matter.


Similarinsignificant, unimportant


Antonymssignificant, important

20. light intended primarily as entertainment; not serious or profound


SamplesLight verse.
A light comedy.


Similarfrivolous


Antonymsserious

21. light silly or trivial


SamplesIdle pleasure.
Light banter.
Light idle chatter.


Synonymsidle


Similarfrivolous


Antonymsserious

22. light designed for ease of movement or to carry little weight


SamplesLight aircraft.
A light truck.


Similarlight-duty


Antonymsheavy-duty

23. light having relatively few calories


SamplesDiet cola.
Light (or lite) beer.
Lite (or light) mayonnaise.
A low-cal diet.


Synonymscalorie-free, lite, low-cal


Similarfat-free, fatless, nonfat


Antonymsfatty, fat

24. light (of sleep) easily disturbed


SamplesIn a light doze.
A light sleeper.
A restless wakeful night.


Synonymswakeful


Similarshallow


Antonymsdeep

25. light casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior


SamplesHer easy virtue.
He was told to avoid loose (or light) women.
Wanton behavior.


Synonymseasy, loose, promiscuous, sluttish, wanton


Similarunchaste


Antonymschaste


English noun: light

1. light (phenomenon) (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation


SamplesThe light was filtered through a soft glass window.


Synonymsvisible light, visible radiation


Broader (hypernym)actinic radiation, actinic ray


Narrower (hyponym)beam, beam of light, candle flame, candlelight, corona, counterglow, daylight, firelight, fluorescence, friar's lantern, gaslight, gegenschein, glow, glow, glow, glowing, half-light, ignis fatuus, incandescence, irradiation, jack-o'-lantern, lamplight, light beam, luminescence, meteor, Moon, moonlight, moonshine, radiance, ray, ray of light, scintillation, shaft, shaft of light, shooting star, starlight, streamer, sun, sunlight, sunshine, torchlight, twilight, will-o'-the-wisp


Part meronymelectromagnetic spectrum


Domain categorynatural philosophy, physics

2. light (artifact) any device serving as a source of illumination


SamplesHe stopped the car and turned off the lights.


Synonymslight source


Broader (hypernym)source of illumination


Narrower (hyponym)anchor light, blinker, fairy light, flasher, flood, flood lamp, floodlight, headlamp, headlight, houselights, jacklight, navigation light, night-light, panel light, photoflood, riding lamp, riding light, room light, running light, sconce, searchlight, sidelight, strip lighting, theater light, torch

3. light (cognition) a particular perspective or aspect of a situation


SamplesAlthough he saw it in a different light, he still did not understand.


Broader (hypernym)perspective, position, view

4. light (attribute) the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light


SamplesIts luminosity is measured relative to that of our sun.


Synonymsbrightness, brightness level, luminance, luminosity, luminousness


Broader (hypernym)physical property


Narrower (hyponym)glow, illuminance, illumination, incandescence, luminescence


Attributebright, dull

5. light (location) an illuminated area


SamplesHe stepped into the light.


Broader (hypernym)scene

6. light (state) a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination


SamplesFollow God's light.


Synonymsillumination


Broader (hypernym)condition, status

7. light (attribute) the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures


SamplesHe could paint the lightest light and the darkest dark.


Synonymslightness


Broader (hypernym)visual property


Narrower (hyponym)aura, aureole, brightness, gloriole, glory, halo, highlight, highlighting, nimbus, sunniness


Attributedark, light

8. light (person) a person regarded very fondly


SamplesThe light of my life.


Broader (hypernym)friend

9. light (state) having abundant light or illumination


SamplesThey played as long as it was light.
As long as the lighting was good.


Synonymslighting


Broader (hypernym)illumination


Antonymsdark, darkness

10. light (cognition) mental understanding as an enlightening experience


SamplesHe finally saw the light.
Can you shed light on this problem?.


Broader (hypernym)brainstorm, brainwave, insight

11. light (attribute) merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance


SamplesHe had a sparkle in his eye.
There's a perpetual twinkle in his eyes.


Synonymsspark, sparkle, twinkle


Broader (hypernym)aspect, expression, face, facial expression, look, verve, vitality

12. light (cognition) public awareness


SamplesIt brought the scandal to light.


Broader (hypernym)general knowledge, public knowledge

13. Light (motive) a divine presence believed by Quakers to enlighten and guide the soul


SynonymsChrist Within, Inner Light, Light Within


Broader (hypernym)ethical motive, ethics, morality, morals

14. light (communication) a visual warning signal


SamplesThey saw the light of the beacon.
There was a light at every corner.


Broader (hypernym)visual signal


Narrower (hyponym)stoplight, traffic light, traffic signal

15. light (artifact) a device for lighting or igniting fuel or charges or fires


SamplesDo you have a light?.


Synonymsigniter, ignitor, lighter


Broader (hypernym)device


Narrower (hyponym)cigar lighter, cigarette lighter, friction match, fuse, fusee, fuze, fuzee, lucifer, match, match, pocket lighter, primer, priming


English adverb: light

1. light with few burdens


SamplesExperienced travellers travel light.


Synonymslightly


English verb: light

1. light (change) make lighter or brighter


SamplesThis lamp lightens the room a bit.


Synonymsillume, illuminate, illumine, light up


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)lighten, lighten up


Narrower (hyponym)floodlight, spotlight

2. light (consumption) begin to smoke


SamplesAfter the meal, some of the diners lit up.


Synonymsfire up, light up


Pattern of useSomebody ----s.
Somebody ----s something


Broader (hypernym)ignite, light


Entailsmoke

3. light (motion) to come to rest, settle


SamplesMisfortune lighted upon him.


Synonymsalight, perch


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)land, set down

4. light (weather) cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat


SamplesGreat heat can ignite almost any dry matter.
Light a cigarette.


Synonymsignite


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)burn, combust


Narrower (hyponym)conflagrate, enkindle, fire up, flare up, inflame, kindle, light, light up, light up, reignite


Causeburn, combust


Antonymsblow out, extinguish, quench, snuff out

5. light (possession) fall to somebody by assignment or lot


SamplesThe task fell to me.
It fell to me to notify the parents of the victims.


Synonymsfall


Pattern of useSomething ----s somebody.
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE


Broader (hypernym)devolve, fall, pass, return


Verb groupaccrue, fall, fall

6. light (motion) alight from (a horse)


Synonymsdismount, get down, get off, unhorse


Pattern of useSomebody ----s


Broader (hypernym)come down, descend, fall, go down


Domain categoryhorseback riding, riding









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