lighten

verb (lighten, lightens, lightened, lightening)

«lighten» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Everyday

To lighten something is to make it less heavy: lighten your bag. tree →
To lighten is to make or become brighter or paler in colour: the sky lightened. tree →
To lighten a mood or a job is to make it easier or happier: a joke lightened the mood. tree →
Lighten up (informal) means relax and stop being so serious. tree →
Lighten can also mean to flash with lightning, as in a storm. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: lighten the load, lighten the mood. In art: lighten a colour by adding white. In stories: «Her face lightened when she saw him.» Informal: «Lighten up!»

Examples

Take out some books to lighten your schoolbag. tree →
The sky lightened as the sun came up. tree →
Add white to lighten the blue paint. tree →
Grandpa's jokes lightened the mood. tree →
Helping each other lightens the work. tree →
Oh, lighten up — it's only a game! tree →
Her face lightened when she heard the good news. tree →
One night there was a dreadful storm; it thundered and lightened and the rain streamed down in torrents. tree →

Note

-ing form: lightening (no extra n). Trap: «lightening» (making lighter) vs «lightning» (the flash in a storm). Opposite: darken, or for weight: make heavier.

In Jewish tradition

The psalmist says God makes his darkness bright and lights his eyes, so that light means rescue and life.

Interpretation. Tradition reads God as the source of light in times of trouble. The prayer "lighten mine eyes" is understood as asking for life and understanding.

Examples

For Thou art my lamp, O LORD; and the LORD doth lighten my darkness. (Prophets 2SA.22.29, JPS 1917) tree →
For Thou dost light my lamp; the LORD my God doth lighten my darkness. (Writings PSA.18.29, JPS 1917) tree →
Behold Thou, and answer me, O LORD my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; (Writings PSA.13.4, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

-ing form: lightening (no extra n). Trap: «lightening» (making lighter) vs «lightning» (the flash in a storm). Opposite: darken, or for weight: make heavier.

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «lighten» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«lighten» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
Trees and pragmatics of «lighten» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«lighten» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.

This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/lighten/