brightness

Everyday

1. How much light something gives off or reflects; a bright lamp has high brightness. tree →
2. How strong and clear a colour is. tree →
3. A cheerful, lively quality in a person's face, voice or mood. tree →
4. The setting on a screen that makes it lighter or darker. tree →

In the lessons

In science it is about light: the Sun's brightness, the brightness of stars, how a bulb's brightness changes in a circuit. In everyday life it is the screen setting on a phone or tablet. In stories it describes sunshine, colours or a happy face. Phrases: «turn down the brightness», «the brightness of the sun», «full brightness».

Examples

• The brightness of the sun hurt my eyes. tree →
• Turn the brightness down on your tablet before bed. tree →
• We tested how the brightness of the bulb changed with two batteries. tree →
• Some stars have a greater brightness than others. tree →
• The brightness of the paint made the classroom cheerful. tree →
• Her smile had a brightness that made everyone feel welcome. tree →
• Never look straight at the sun, whatever its brightness. tree →
• The candles were now lighted--what brightness! tree →

Note

Uncountable: say «the brightness», not «a brightness» (except in stories: «a brightness in her eyes»). Made from «bright» + «-ness». A star's brightness in the sky does not tell you its real size; it may just be closer.

In Jewish tradition

In the Tanakh brightness is often the shining light of God's glory, and the lack of it means gloom and judgment.

Interpretation. Tradition reads God's brightness as a sign of His presence. The prophets' "day of the LORD" with no brightness is a day of darkness and warning.

Examples

• Even very dark, and no brightness in it? (Prophets AMO.5.20, JPS 1917) tree →
• At the brightness before Him coals of fire flamed forth. (Prophets 2SA.22.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; (Writings JOB.31.26, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Uncountable: say «the brightness», not «a brightness» (except in stories: «a brightness in her eyes»). Made from «bright» + «-ness». A star's brightness in the sky does not tell you its real size; it may just be closer.