lighten : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: lighten	by the DICT Development Group
5 results for lighten
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
lighten v make more cheerful; "the conversation lightened me up a bit" Synonym(s): lighten, lighten up, buoy up Antonym(s): weigh down, weigh on reduce the weight on; make lighter; "she lightened the load on the tired donkey" become more cheerful; "after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit" Synonym(s): lighten, lighten up, buoy up make lighter or brighter; "The paint will brighten the room" Synonym(s): brighten, lighten up, lighten Antonym(s): darken become lighter; "The room lightened up" Synonym(s): lighten, lighten up Antonym(s): darken alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive; "relieve the pressure and the stress"; "lighten the burden of caring for her elderly parents" Synonym(s): relieve, lighten
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Lighten \Light"en\ (l[imac]t"'n), v. i. [See {Light} to alight.] To descend; to light. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us. --Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.].
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Lighten \Light"en\ (l[imac]t"'n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Lightened} (-'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Lightening}.] [OE. lightenen. See {Light} to kindle, illuminate.] 1. To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash. This dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion. --Shak. 2. To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Lighten \Light"en\, v. t. [See {Light} to illuminate.] 1. To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets. [In this sense less common than light.] A key of fire ran all along the shore, And lightened all the river with a blaze. --Dryden. 2. To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten. [In this sense less common than enlighten.] Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray. --Sir J. Davies. 3. To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning. His eye . . . lightens forth Controlling majesty. --Shak. 4. To free from trouble and fill with joy. They looked unto him, and were lightened. --Ps. xxxiv. 5.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Lighten \Light"en\, v. t. [See {Light} not heavy.] 1. To make lighter, or less heavy; to reduce in weight; to relieve of part of a load or burden; as, to lighten a ship by unloading; to lighten a load or burden. 2. To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief. 3. To cheer; to exhilarate. Lightens my humor with his merry jests. --Shak.